Cubitts opens first Manchester store in historic Smithfield Buildings

The Manchester expansion follows the recent opening of the company’s new headquarters and optical manufactory in London’s King’s Cross. For the design of the new space, Cubitts collaborated with local firm YOUTH, aiming for a site that functions as a practical optician rather than a standard retail showroom. The facility features a dedicated repairs desk, an optometric room, a consultation area, and capacity to display 72 frames.

Founder Tom Broughton noted that the company spent nearly a decade searching for a Manchester home that possessed sufficient history and character to align with their brand identity. The choice of Smithfield Buildings—a former drapers’ department store known as the “Harrods of the North”—was intended to reflect the neighborhood’s heritage of trade and manufacturing. Broughton emphasized that the interior design avoids common Manchester tropes, opting instead for an industrial aesthetic that incorporates local materials and cultural references to ensure the store feels integrated into the city rather than merely imported.