Indy Retailer Tales - The Old Cobblers

IIn this small blog series we’re attempting to throw some much needed positive light out toward some of the best indy beer venues we’ve had the pleasure of working with over the last few tough months. Those are few but select and some of the finest around. In their support for us we’re enduring and in our support for them - well, hopefully more of you lot get through their doors. It’s a two way street in this small indy business world and there are some very fine people doing some incredibly fine things out there. Check them out as you can. Without further a do, we’ll let you in on the latest secret to come out of Saddleworth, The Old Cobblers.

Welcome to The Old Cobblers

Before lockdown proper and in delirium inducing, grey times such as these, making a first delivery to a tiny new shop out in the sticks can surprise you in it’s ability to shake you into better spirits and find some value from an otherwise new-normal day. You rarely get this, nor expect the dose from something so mundane as a beer delivery. Some of the shot was caffeine - for sure - the rest was bearing witness to such a positive atmosphere and letting it wash over you while you take your flat white out on a small country town street, bathing in autumn sunlight. Astonishingly for us, that beer delivery to The Old Cobblers was a tonic.

Doing something so basic as delivering a few cases of beer is one thing, meeting an old pal and seeing their tiny new gemstone - reminiscent in both its size and distinction - so full of energy and with them absolutely central and in their element is entirely another.

With a combination of sunlight flying through the stone framed windows and this complete assault of ground coffee, old wood beams, artwork from a hundred artists - beer cans, the new record sleeve - immediately being offered to your nose and eyes - both intoxicant - the place holds this massive vibrancy. When you can finally adjust to the light, it’s then that you start to notice the local baked pies and the little cheese fridge hidden in the counter and all these pieces of genuine gold are scattered everywhere. The Old Cobblers in Saddleworth is small but it’s full of treasure, it’s a peach.

I can understand the appeal of moving back out to a small country town, it’s been crossing my mind for a few years now but I do wonder what i’d do there - I was a country boy - there are parts i certainly miss. The thing is, when you walk into the Old Cobblers you do start to ponder whether these guys have got it all right. Setting up shop in a cute little weathered stone building during all this - seeing the people come with this abundance of enthusiasm for the place - it’s a bold move and it’s full of optimism. It’s working for them and it’s this miniature embodiment of a hopefulness that Indy businesses can and will come out of this on top. If I were to move out of the City one of these days and I knew a shop like this was down my new patch.. let’s just say i’m starting to think about it some more.

When myself and Darcey went out to meet our new customers in their shop we found Lou manning the fort and I can’t think of anyone better to be doing this. They opened merely weeks ago and in minutes you just feel this community apparent, with locals already magnetised by it, regulars even. Lou’s welcome is the frankly, the best.

Lou has opened the Old Cobblers with Dave who sadly was off that day - it’s not like you could fit them both in there at once - and we all go pretty far back. It’s not surprising that this is a cool, charming place. If you’ll indulge me…

We probably knew Dave first - I can’t even remember when we met Dave but it’s early days. Dave was managing the Deaf Institute right at the peak of it’s powers, with so many top members of staff there, he was ordering Blackjack beers. To get into a music venue like that was a huge result for us back then. Later we worked with Dave in a load of places over the years, including The Beagle, Saison and finally, eventually, he came to work with us. Come to think of it, maybe I first knew Dave at the Beagle? Anyhow, after years of working from afar he came in to manage our tiny little first Jack in the Box - our first market bar in the Altrincham Market place. He’s been with us for years and now with a new babbie in tow with our Sal (A big Smithfield regular as it happens and Band On the Wall champion, our excellent neighbours) after some grand years with us, it was time for Dave to get back to the sticks and start something of his own.

Separately to this we knew Lou as well. I don’t exactly recall where that came from either. Possibly The Sally? Either way, right way back when, Lou was rolling out arguably the most beautiful new venue in Manchester. I think she would have known Dave from the Deaf Institute days and was then given the mind bending job of opening The Albert Hall no less. It was about that time that we were still carting around our Jockey Boxes and doing pop up events all over the place. Good old days, those. Somehow we found ourselves taking metric tons of stock up these ancient stairs, probably only a few floors up but it felt like fifty and there we set up our wee bar in the Green Room for their opening nights. Right on time for the launch, right on time for the Manchester International Festival. The rest of that was a blur really but I’d assume some top class acts came into our makeshift bar over that week or so. I remember seeing Goldfrapp and most notably, we saw Mogwai perform the Zidane album in full splendour - film projected behind them. Incidentally, the best thing about that happened early doors of the Mogwai gig. Some absolute hero was in from the first whistle - full French kit, Zidane printed on the back and he was bald. Straight in on the front row. Absolutely Genius. I never saw his face…

I digress.

I haven’t even mentioned how Lou started one of Manchester’s best street food outfits with Hannah. Think Crab! Basically, this place is in solid hands and you can tell immediately.

So, where were we. I drove myself and Darcey to the shop to just get out of the brewery and told him to bring his camera. Let’s do a little blog we said. It’ll be good to get out we said. Get in touch we said.

I could ramble on about this shop but alternatively I could tell you what epitomises the entire place. That in maybe the hour we were there, taking photos, chatting with Lou, making coffee and having to go and wait outside as customers rolled up, we spoke directly to their patrons. I can’t really tell you how nice that is. In such an unforced manner, it’s irresistible because people just seem to want to say hello. They didn’t know who we were or why we were there, you just end up chatting. When you work in a brewery all week, so much of this is wholesale, emails and online orders - 90% hanging up on marketing agencies. It’s rare you get to stand back and watch people look at your gear and actually pick it up and actually show an interest in it - and it’s not you thats trying to sell it either. It’s genuine interest and you’re just an observer. In that one hour we chatted to an elderly couple about Manchester. The Landlord of their shop rocked up for a coffee and popped it straight on the slate. He was involved in many building projects around our brewery and knew our pub and we chatted about Manchester’s architecture and our beer and how the shop was going. We met a great dog.

We’d put our bottles on the window ledge to take some shots and people were walking past and picking them up in between. It’s a good feeling you know. Lou hadn’t even priced them up or put them in the fridge and yet they were selling. That miniature venture was absolutely worth it for us just for that.

Then you watch Lou at work. She’ll be a hub of that community as far as we were concerned. She already was and we hadn’t even seen our Dave in there yet!

Essentially what you see and realise when you go and visit these kind of places, run by these kind of people, is that you should be pleased for them and delighted that your product is in their place and in their hands. You should be massively pleased that something you make can hold hold court in and amongst so much other great stuff and sit on the shelves side by side and get picked out - that people are willing to pay good money for it. You should remember to be pleased that this scene exists for us and remember to be proud to be in it. What it did for us? Exactly that actually.

Our whole hour long experience was one of simple pleasures.

From the local pastry based goods, to an immaculate selection of wines, to perfectly wrapped and selected cheeses, biscuits and obviously, great beer to the coffee while you browse about from Darkwoods, this place is perfectly curated. There’s so much in here in such a neat concise bundle that it’s size doesn’t limit it, it simply makes you hone in. When the custodians make such incisive, cultured choices you can’t fail but to be lured in and you are happy to be left in their hands. All that’s left to say is that you should go.

So, on that final note. Please do get behind them Pals! Check them out. They’re doing great things out there and it’s absolutely worth a visit (when you can, of course). It’s a diamond part of the world and Dave and Lou have set up a beautiful little gemstone out there. Get and see them when you can do so.

All that’s left to say is to thank them them for stocking our beer.

If you support them, you are supporting so many small indies out there, including ourselves.

Support your local Indy!

Thanks again to Lou, Dave and The Cobblers locale
Team Blackjack

Blackjack beers will be ever present and ever cool and ready to drink at The Old Cobblers - check the top two shelves of the fridge for our rotating wares.

Get there quick for our Stroopwafel as it’s limited!

To check them out, their opening hours are:

Tuesday - 10 - 6
Wednesday - 10 - 6
Thursday - 10 - 6
Friday - 10 - 8
Saturday - 10 - 8
Sunday - 10 - 4

and you can find them at:

135 Chew Valley Rd,
Greenfield,
Oldham
OL3 7JN

To follow what they’re up too click here for:

Facebook - /theoldcobblers.shop
Instagram - @theoldcobblers.shop

Photos by our own - James Darcey