Image courtesy MAG
 
The Sculpts, a design business started by a Mancunian couple during the pandemic, marked a huge milestone yesterday, with the opening of a dedicated store in Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1.
 
Hot on the heels of The Sculpts, Pasta Evangelists is to open its first airport branch in Terminal 2 next month. The brand already has a large following on social media – but the Manchester branch will only be their third in the UK and the first outside London.

 
Richard Jackson – Retail Director, Manchester Airport said: "The Sculpts is a remarkable success story and we’re really pleased that they’ve chosen Manchester Airport as the site for what will be just their second dedicated store.  
 
“They already count a number of the city’s biggest institutions as stockists and now visitors to the city will have the chance to grab themselves a unique handmade souvenir here at Manchester Airport.
 
“We’re also incredibly excited to be bringing Pasta Evangelists to the airport. I’ve been following their work on social media for a few years so to see them opening here is great.  
 
“There’s no place better to reach a global audience than here at the UK’s global gateway in the North and we’re proud to support all kinds of businesses here, particularly local traders and up-and-coming names so that they can benefit from our reach.”  
 
The owners of The Sculpts are pledging to give visitors to Manchester the chance to ‘take a piece of the city home with them’, with a wide range of handmade homeware and souvenirs in stock, inspired by Manchester’s cultural scene and made in the city.  
 
Products include greetings cards, prints, textiles, mugs, and the business’ signature ‘alphabet tiles’ – with each letter accompanied by a hand-drawn illustration of a part of Manchester’s heritage, from the Worker Bee to Stephenson’s Rocket and Factory Records.  
 
The Sculpts started trading as an online retailer in 2020, and opened its first bricks-and-mortar store in Sale just last year – but will now have the opportunity to reach millions of potential customers from across the planet as it opens its doors in Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1.
 
Having branched out from an online business to outdoor markets, The Sculpts opened a pop-up stand in John Lewis over Christmas in 2021 and 2022, and took up permanent residence at Altrincham Market. Some of Manchester’s best-loved cultural institutions now stock the company’s products in their gift shops, including Manchester City Art Gallery, John Rylands Library, the National Football Museum and Whitworth Gallery.  
 
This year, The Sculpts are collaborating with MTV to create an exclusive design for more than 100 world-famous music artists performing at the Europe Music Awards, being held in Manchester in November.
 
Despite the company’s impressive growth, it is sticking firmly to its roots – it designs its own original Manchester-inspired artwork, all its products are handmade in the city, rather than being outsourced to a mass producer, and all its small team of employees call the city home.
 
The Sculpts joins a growing list of thriving Mancunian start-ups that have opened units at Manchester Airport, including Salford brewery Seven Bro7hers, coffee chain Pot Kettle Black and fast-food outlet Archie’s.  
 
Creating opportunities for local retailers is a key part of the airport’s strategy for improving its shopping and dining experience, giving passengers more choice and creating a distinctly Mancunian feel in its terminals.
 
Jade King – Managing Director, The Sculpts said: "We’re so excited to be able to offer travellers through Manchester the chance to take home a beautiful reminder of our great city.
 
“We’ve captured the history and heritage of Manchester on exclusive artwork, homeware and luxury gifts that celebrate the spirit of the city: a melting pot of music, history and style.
 
“We send lots of our work abroad, whether to Mancunians living in other countries, or tourists who’ve visited the city, so opening at Manchester Airport is a natural progression for us and a great opportunity to showcase our city to the world.”
 
Pasta Evangelists was founded by Genoa-born Alessandro Savelli in 2016 who was on a mission to bring his family’s cooking to a UK audience. In 2018 he and co-founder Finn Lagun appeared on BBC show Dragons’ Den in the hope of securing investment but were unsuccessful, despite Deborah Meaden describing the food as “delicious".
 
The brand continued to grow through their pasta making classes and home delivery range. Pasta Evangelists has since opened two branches; one a pop-up in famous London department store Harrods and the other in upmarket West London suburb Richmond.  
 
Its third restaurant will open in Manchester Airport in late September and will, for the first time, introduce customers to the Pasta Evangelists’ Italian breakfast offering, which is set to be rolled out to other locations in the future.
 
Among the selection of dishes will be ‘the Italian breakfast bowl,’ including grilled pancetta, Sicilian sausages, frittata, baked borlotti beans and mushrooms with a vegetarian option also on offer. The restaurant will also serve Pasta Evangelists’ luxury pasta sauces with each dish complemented by a fresh pasta shape.

 
Italian classics including Prosecco, Aperol Spritz and Birra Moretti lagers will be on offer, as well Italian coffees, tea and San Pellegrino soft drinks.  
 
Alessandro Savelli,Founder of Pasta Evangelists said: “We are thrilled to launch our first airport outlet at Manchester Airport. It is a very exciting time to see the rapid growth of the Pasta Evangelists brand as it continues to reach new consumers.  
 
“This past year has been a huge step forward for us, the launch of the Pasta Factory, our Richmond franchise store and a wealth of regional openings for our takeaway kitchens. We are constantly seeking new ways to innovate and the Italian inspired breakfast menu at Manchester Airport is just another example of our passion and willingness to expand into new areas.”