But what’s the evidence? Well, sales of physical media have surged (for that, read things you can touch like vinyl and DVDs) and there’s a growing interest in consumption that’s slower and more intentional, and that includes listening to music. If this is your bag, you’re going to love Mars Tapes, the self-professed last cassette shop in the UK.
Earlier this month, and after growing in popularity, Mars Tapes moved into a bigger unit on the first floor of Afflecks in Manchester. Boasting striking red walls, diamond‑dot tiles and rustic wooden benches, the shop functions as a kind of shop‑come‑listening café, entrenched in nostalgia and community. It is also the home of indie record label Sour Grapes, a staple of Manchester’s alternative music scene.
The shop has a kind of grassroots, homespun feel, which is enhanced by the selling of trinkets and miscellaneous music bits. including funky sunglasses and socks, guitar strings, tape-players, t-shirts, stickers, tea, coffee, popcorn, and hot dogs. Yum!
If you’re in Manchester, I’d highly recommend taking a seat in the café (which is bathed in light by a wall of huge, arched windows), picking a tape from the varied and large selection, and having a listen with a brew. It really does feel like stepping back in time.
The café is run by a super-knowledgeable and friendly team, Alex Tadros, Borja Regueira Vilar and Giorgio Carbone, who are able to assist with any queries. They witness a variety of customers of different ages coming through their doors, from young people getting into physical audio-listening equipment, to older people who like tapes for the nostalgia.
Tadros says: “Mars Tapes is the only cassette shop in the UK, as far as we’ve been able to tell anyway.
“We opened in 2019 and had a small unit and it has expanded over the years. So, in our eyes [tapes] have come back. We’ve gone through three expansions now, and have a lot more people coming in and buying their first collections with us. This new unit is bigger than we ever expected.
“We are a listening café, so you can come down and get a coffee or a tea, pop a cassette in a deck and have a listen.”
Will Stead, 26, loves music. Attending the re-opening weekend for Mars Tapes, he says: “Despite tapes being more of a niche format, it’s nice to see that there’s still somewhere that people can come together and dig through tapes, like you can with vinyls. Mars Tapes have been doing well and this new expansion shows no sign of them stopping. I think it’s easy to see from the welcoming, relaxed atmosphere and love of music without snobbery why that success has been achievable for the owners.”
Mars Tapes is open every day, 10.30-6 on weekdays, 10-6 Saturday, and 11-5 Sunday. It’s definitely worth a trip. Slow down, listen to some music, and maybe 2026 will become your analogue year. For more information, click here.
