A Northern Quarter stalwart and a cacophony of kitsch, Oklahoma deals in everything from characterful homewares to unconventional jewellery and gifts. If you’re in the market for a satirical tome (such as the “Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump”), a 1970s-inspired bamboo curtain emblazoned with Frida Kahlo’s signature brows, or a novel tote fashioned from Guatemalan flour bags, you’ll find it here. While you might be tempted to bypass the weekend throngs and hit the online store, there’s little substitute for Oklahoma’s colourful bricks and mortar home when it comes to stumbling upon those never-knew-you-needed knick-knacks.

Tricky to find but worth the effort, Form Lifestyle Store is secreted down a cobbled backstreet close to Arts Council England’s Manchester outpost. Although compact, it stocks an immaculately curated collection of items from independent makers. With an emphasis on the aesthetically restrained, shelves are lined with lush toiletries, graphic prints and the odd accessory – including unfussy handmade jewellery. The store also plays host to regular workshops on the likes of screen-printing and terrarium planting. Say hello to owners Elly Amoroso and Harry Williams, who are always happy to wax lyrical on their chosen products and the benefits of slow living.

A staple of the neighbourhood for over 15 years, Oi Polloi is often touted as the embodiment of Northern Quarter style – so much so that the store, as much as its wares, has developed something of a cult reputation. A favourite of Manchester’s feted musicians (think Liam Gallagher and Ian Brown) it specialises in a blend of sports casual and workwear brands, and it’s here that you’re likely to hit upon lesser known Japanese denim labels and niche special-edition trainers. Although ostensibly a menswear store, the egalitarian, contrivance-free look it champions is ultimately unisex, with a regularly mixed audience crowding the rails of easy-going outerwear and beanie hats.

Sandwiched between the independent art stores and eateries of Edge Street, Deadstock General Store deals, as the name suggests, is a little of everything. With its creaking floorboards and battered cabinets, the artfully makeshift interior plays backdrop to a neat assembly of useful but beautiful objects, such as brass pencils, steel canteens and discreetly branded backpacks. There’s also a selection of hardy, German made umbrellas which, in Manchester, are possibly the most useful objects of all. A corner for repairs and alterations, meanwhile, makes Deadstock a useful stop to have any pre-loved buys brought back to life or tailored after plundering the nearby vintage stores.

The kind of second-hand bookstore typically found in Brit flicks – where the cast live in quaintly nostalgic cardigans and speak exclusively in BBC English – Paramount has oodles of personality and a rather stellar collection of works to boot. Although there’s some vague order to things, indicated by the haphazardly handwritten categories tacked to shelves, it’s generally a rummage-encouraging affair. The precariously stacked mounds of hardbacks are particularly fun to tackle, and it’s almost impossible not to be seduced by some first edition found buried behind the piano. Luckily Paramount’s slightly off-kilter location (bordering the Northern Quarter, but away from the busier paths) means you shouldn’t have to shoulder your way through hordes of tourists. Here’s looking at you, Notting Hill.