Sneak peek inside Hurley Sport as iconic shop returns

Hurley Sport will officially open at Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich at 9am on Saturday, September 12, more than four decades after the name became synonymous with Manchester’s 1980s sportswear scene.

Ahead of the doors opening to shoppers, The Bolton News was invited behind the scenes for a sneak peek at the finished store following a whirlwind two-and-a-half-week transformation.

And just days ago, general manager Jess Pizzey admitted she was not convinced they would get it finished in time.

She said: “There were times I thought it wasn’t going to be ready.

“Literally two days ago we were still painting things.

“I didn’t think we’d do it, but we did.”

A sneak peek inside the store

The shop, opposite Hurleys’ existing men’s and women’s store near Vue cinema, combines the distinctive sportswear labels of Hurley Sport’s heyday with nods to the family business’s 71-year history.

Its rails are packed with brands including Sergio Tacchini, Fila, Rockport, Kappa, Ellesse, Patrick, Diadora, Gola, Lacoste, Fred Perry, Lois, Henri Lloyd and Gabicci.

(Image: NQ)

There are bold pieces inspired by the colours and styles of the 1980s alongside more understated modern clothing, with the new store dedicated entirely to menswear.

But some of the most personal touches are away from the rails.

Old family photographs have been incorporated into the changing rooms, charting the story of the Hurley family through the generations.

Jess, whose grandparents Ron and Eileen Hurley founded the business in 1955, said: “My dad’s career is on the walls in the dressing rooms.

“There’s one picture of Grandad and Gran, the next photo is him with his auntie and then us.”

Jess is the third generation of the family involved in Hurleys alongside her sister Tara Minion and their father Mark Hurley.

Jess, Mark, Tara

For her, the new store is as much about the people behind the business as the clothes on its rails.

She said: “It’s like a family dynamic on steroids. We’re a very small team and the staff are a family unit.

“We’ve got a staff member who’s been here 24 years.

“They’ve worked so hard and we couldn’t have done it without them.

“It’s a small business. Everyone pulls their weight. They don’t just clock off.”

The history of Hurley Sport shown through photos (Image: NQ)

Getting the store ready has meant long days for the family and staff, who have had to continue running the rest of the business at the same time.

Jess said: “It was very stressful, but worth it in the end.

“We’ve had to continue – all our other jobs don’t stop.

“We didn’t shut. We still had to manage a job on top of this.

“It was a very quick turnaround.”

The new shop marks the latest chapter in a business which began as Hurley’s Sports & Camping on Eccles New Road in Salford in 1955.

Hurley’s

It later became a familiar name in Manchester city centre, particularly through its Piccadilly stores, as the family embraced European sportswear labels which exploded in popularity during the 1970s and 1980s.

At its height, Hurleys had 16 stores across the North West before eventually consolidating around Middlebrook, which opened around 2001 and became its flagship location.

The idea of reviving Hurley Sport gathered momentum as the family celebrated 70 years in business last year and began digging through decades of photographs and memorabilia.

With many of the labels it sold in the 1980s enjoying renewed popularity, the family decided the time was right to put the Hurley Sport name above a shopfront once again.

For Jess, its return is also another example of how the family business has survived by continually changing with the times.

She said: “We’ve made it through many things.

“It’s evolution – you just have to keep going.”

The finishing touches are now being made ahead of Saturday morning, when customers will get their first chance to step inside the revived Hurley Sport store.

Hurley Sport will open at Middlebrook Retail Park at 9am on Saturday, September 12.