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Stockport institution Yu & Me announces closure after 30+ years

Danny Jones

Stockport is preparing to say goodbye to one of its shopping veterans as the once-popular hardware store and discount retailer Yu & Me is closing after more than three decades.

The beloved bits and bobs shop catered to virtually everyone’s needs, selling everything from homeware and DIY to garden furniture and toys, as well countless other essentials and random nicknacks, serving generations of Stopfordian families to earn a legendary local reputation.

However, the “handyman’s paradise” – which has also been described as everything from “Aladdin’s Cave” and a “gold mine”, to the place you go for “everything you didn’t know you needed” – is now set to shut down for good at the start of the new year.

Announcing the closure on social media, owner Warner Yu confirmed that 5 January will be their final day of business.

The shop, located on Buxton Road in Great Moor, is set to be part of the expansion plans laid out for the Co-op situated next door, with the building set to be demolished and redeveloped from the ground up following a recent planning application.

Writing in the post shared on Boxing Day, Yu said: “Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and has a great new year, All the best to all our wonderful Customers.

“Sorry but we will be closing down on the 5th of January 2025 as our lease has finally run out. ‘The Great Yu and Me Sale’ is now on until then. Wish you all the best and thank you for everything.”

The comments were flooded with love, support and sadness, with one person writing. “Oh no this isn’t what I wanted to read. What will I do without you guys? My heart is broken, at least your dad will be able to relax, he is a wonderful man – end of a special era.”

Another said in a lengthy response: Really awful to do this to Yu & Me honestly. Big companies like Co-op shouldn’t have [the] power to get rid of someone else’s business like this. If anything, they should at least build them their own space since… You know, it’s been there around 30/40 years. Pretty awful thing for them to do to Yu & Me, I hope they can find somewhere nearby to continue on honestly…”

One person even shared a somewhat tongue-in-cheek but still heartfelt tribute song, bidding farewell to the no-nonsense odds-and-ends institution.

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Although it is obviously sad news, the number of people sharing memories of going in with their parents, grandparents, or even taking their own children in there over the years is touching to read.

Warner’s father who ran the shop before him remains a popular figure even though he hasn’t been out on the shop floor these days; he famously raised thousands as part of the 2005 tsunami appeal.

Pulling funds from three different Yu & Me shops across Greater Manchester at the time, he said: “Money is no good to us when we die and we are lucky that we are not born in such places. Some customers may have only donated pennies but all together it’s raised a lot of money. One day these people may help us.”

As a Stopfordian born and bred myself, I can only thank the Yu family for their years of service and for being the only place nearby to find last-minute spray paint for my year 11 art project. Yu will be missed.

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Featured Images — Google Maps/Warner Yu (via Facebook)/Peter Barr (via Geograph)