It’s been described as ‘more than a refresh’
A store at the Arndale for seven years is to reopen with a brand new look this weekend(Image: Manchester Evening News)
A popular street food spot is to reopen their Arndale spot with a brand new look after seven years.
Auntie Anne’s first opened in Manchester in 2018 with a kiosk within the then-recently renovated Halle Place area of the shopping centre. It will reopen this weekend with a grand ‘giant pretzel pulling’ ceremony. Over the years, its been known for its ‘bigger than my head’ creations.
The brand is named after “Auntie” Anne Beiler, who first sold homemade pretzels and lemonade from a farmer’s market stand in Downington, Pennsylvania, back in 1988. Having seen the love for her creations, she expanded the empire into a company and three years later, they sold their four-millionth pretzel.
Now hailed as the world’s largest hand-rolled soft pretzel franchise, Auntie Anne’s has expanded across the world with more than 2,000 stores in over 30 countries. Alongside sweet and savoury pretzels, it also sells pretzel dogs, pizzas, breakfast buns, milkshakes and hot drinks.
Auntie Anne’s are now considered to be the world’s largest hand-rolled soft pretzel franchise(Image: Auntie Anne’s)
The Manchester store has been revamped with a new store design that aims to ‘elevate’ the shopping experience. It will reopen on Saturday (November 29) from 10.45am. In addition to a ‘giant pretzel pulling ceremony’, there will also be a free pretzel giveaway from 11am until 12pm, whilst stocks last.
“Our Manchester store has always been a fan favourite, and we’re thrilled to bring it back with a fresh new look,” said Max Burton, Managing Director of Auntie Anne’s UK & Ireland. “It’s more than just a refresh – it’s part of our journey to modernise the brand and share that unmistakable Auntie Anne’s experience with even more guests.”
The Auntie Anne’s kiosk in the Arndale Centre is to receive a new look
Last month, Auntie Anne’s reported a record growth momentum and said it has big plans for the UK. Operating 45 outlets across the UK, it aims to reach 50 by the end of the year and 100 by 2030 with locations at more shopping centres, outlet villages and train stations planned.
Earlier this year, the pretzel chain opened a new location at the Cheshire Oaks shopping mall – which uniquely marked its first store to be based within a converted shipping container. It has also opened new stores this year in Crawley, Swindon, Livingston and Sunderland.
The reopening of Auntie Anne’s comes amid a wave of new openings at the Arndale centre, including sportswear brand Champion, vegetarian Indian street food brand Shree Krishna Vada Pav (SKVP), and the Mococo jewellery brand. ProCook also opened the shopping centre’s first ever dedicated store from a kitchenware brand last month, whilst FootAsylum extended their unit to 17,000 sq ft worth of space as part of a new 20-year lease renewal.