Visual arts orientated bookshop and print gallery UNITOM will launch on Monday 13th December offering a hand-picked selection of cultural and artistic inspiration. The store will be located on Stevenson Square, in the heart of Manchester’s creative Northern Quarter.
UNITOM will be home to a wide array of publications on contemporary art, design, fashion, photography, and counterculture, alongside an extensive range of independent magazines and small press titles, all sourced from a variety of artists and publishers from around the globe. Everything from household publishing names like Taschen and Phaidon, to obscure imports like Brand Balance magazine from Korea and even locally sourced self-published art zines. You can even grab a fresh filter coffee as you browse.
Alongside the publications, UNITOM will also stock a curated collection of lifestyle brands. Many of which will be the only destination you can purchase these products across the whole of the city. Ranging from Swiss accessories brand Freitag, who put sustainability at the forefront of their production, to London Undercover, a quintessentially British brand creating handcrafted luxury umbrellas. In addition, UNITOM will carry iconic automatic flip clocks by TWEMCO, the finest coffee paraphernalia from Kinto and quality stationery by Pith, Kaweco and Penco. There will even be a selection of one-of-a-kind skateboards by Brussel’s based The Skateroom, who collaborate with renowned artists such as Keith Harring and Paul McCarthy.
The store will also offer a range of exclusive prints and artists editions, including works by Mateus Bailon, Snik, Conor Harrington, Ben Levy and Ian H. Williams. Keep an eye out for book launches, book signings and art print releases which will be hosted in-store over the course of 2022.
The directors behind the concept store are well-versed in the Art world, Matthew Palentine and Wini Tse from Art Advisory, Universal Tomorrow. Matthew has carved a career from his talent for developing collections for clients to mentoring and shaping the career paths for artists, while Wini has over 20 years of experience in design and delivering creative marketing campaigns across digital, TV and print media. Former manager of Magma Manchester, Tim Bell, has been recruited to manage the store bringing his 15+ years of knowledge and passion with him.
Co-director of UNITOM Matthew Palentine said:
“With UNITOM our goal is to ignite conversation and culture through creativity and craftsmanship, that’s why we’ve spent a lot of time curating what brands, art, authors and magazines will sit on our shelves. We pride ourselves on showcasing local publishers, underground artists, one-of-a-kind items that you wouldn’t come across every day, and with that, we aspire to create shared experiences and discussions instore and online.”
Co-director of UNITOM Wini Tse added:
“We also want to offer a unique retail voice within Manchester and provide an international destination for people who love and collect art, are mad about books and magazines, appreciate artistry and skill and a good filter coffee. I hope UNITOM will be a hub for creatives in the city, not just a store but somewhere to learn something new, appreciate something beautiful and have a good old chat.”
