Two new independents heading to Mackie's Corner in Sunderland - here's what to expect

It’s been announced that Ashbrooke Florists, already a landmark business in its namesake suburb, will be opening a home and lifestyle store in the prime corner unit at Mackie’s Corner called Ashbrooke Home.

Opening on March 14, it will build on the lifestyle side of their original site, selling home accessories, gifts and jewellery as well as coffees, cocktails and matcha.

The second new addition set to open soon on the ground floor is called Crave, which will add to the food offering at the site. Work is ongoing on renovating the unit with more details set to be announced soon.

It follows the opening of fellow hospitality businesses The Sofia and Pablo EggsGoBao who opened over the summer, joining Fat Unicorn and The Sweet Petite as part of a quality food and drink offering at the site.

Since taking over the once-forgotten Victorian buildings in 2017, Sunderland firm Kirtley Co have completely transformed the historic site whilst honouring its rich heritage.

It’s now home to more than 25 independent businesses, from shops to creative agencies, with 1,200 visitors through the doors each week.

Once a forgotten, but albeit still grand, reminder of Victorian Sunderland, Mackie’s Corner has risen from the ashes to become a hub of retail and business once more.

It was built by local businessman Ralph Hutchinson on the corner of Fawcett Street and Bridge Street to accommodate the then town’s very first fashion stores in the 1840s, who named the buildings Hutchinson’s Buildings - a name still carved in the stone above its main door.

It became a busy shopping destination and one of its most-popular tenants would inform its colloquial name of Mackie’s Corner.

Occupying the prime corner unit, hat maker Robert Mackie would often draw attention from passersby who could see him crafting titfers through the window.

In later years, the buildings housed city institutions such as Chambers nightclub, however, the building fell into disrepair during the late 20th century and from the early 2000s it had mostly lain derelict, a ghost of its former self - until the Kirtley family saw its potential.