Sifters Records is a second-hand record shop at 177 Fog Lane, Manchester M20 6FJ. Pete Howard, known as "Mr Sifter", opened it in 1977 with 700 of his own LPs. After trouble caused by punks at its first location in Burnage, the shop moved to Fog Lane in 1983, and it is still there. The Manc describes it as a time capsule, with faded band posters, old local adverts and well-trodden carpets.
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The shop sells CDs, vinyl records and DVDs across genres including Rock, Pop, Reggae, Country, Classical, Jazz and Soul. The stock is mostly vinyl LPs, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of them. Many come from Pete Howard's personal collection. If you have old records to sell, the shop buys them and gives you an instant quote. Customers who mention they visited the website before buying get a 10% discount. Reviews mention the cheap prices and the old-school atmosphere.
The shop has a strong link with Oasis. Noel and Liam Gallagher grew up nearby on Cranwell Drive and visited regularly in the late 1980s, often at least once a week. Noel bought records by The Smiths, Joy Division and Happy Mondays there. The brothers mention the shop in "Shakermaker", the second single from Definitely Maybe (1994), with the line "Mister Sifters sold me songs / When I was just sixteen". Noel confirmed he wrote the lyrics outside the shop. In the official video, Liam is seen looking through records and holding Paul McCartney's Red Rose Speedway. Liam's clothing brand, Pretty Green, held a fashion shoot outside the shop in 2014. To mark the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe, street artist Pic.One.Art painted a large black-and-white mural on the side of the building. It shows Noel looking up and Liam smiling, with the words "Oasis Definitely Maybe". The mural took about 20 hours to complete and was made with the blessing of Pete Howard and photographer Michael Spencer Jones.
The shop opens from 13:00 to 17:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and it is closed on Wednesdays and Sundays. Today is Tuesday, so it is open until 17:30. You can call on 0161 445 8697 or visit the website at sifters-records-manchester.co.uk. The address is 177 Fog Lane, M20 6FJ.
Published Date
13 October 2026
