Independent vintage second-hand clothing brand, Glass Onion, has closed the doors of its Meadowhall pop-up store after a successful year-long run.

The brand opened its Meadowhall outlet in 2023 with the aim of reaching new audiences and providing affordable and sustainable clothing.

Alice Leadbetter, head of marketing, said: “We really wanted to make a positive impact by offering great quality, affordable secondhand clothing, including big names like Levi’s, Nike, and Adidas. It felt like the right time to reach a new audience and give people in Sheffield more opportunity to shop sustainably.”

However, despite its popularity and a growing base of loyal customers, the closure was always part of the plan.

Alice said: “We actually really didn’t want to leave, but Meadowhall needed the unit back for another retailer. It’s been a brilliant year and we’re genuinely sad to go.

“It was always intended to be a temporary pop-up, so when we were kind of given the chance, we just jumped on it.”

The announcement has sparked an emotional response from customers, many of whom expressed disappointment across social media.

Alice said: “We’ve had so many lovely comments and messages from shoppers who were gutted to see us go, and it shows how much of a connection we’d started to build there.”

One commenter on instagram said: “I’m gutted to hear you’ve left Meadowhall. We did visit your Sheffield store over the weekend, but I hope you return to Meadowhall soon.”

While the Division Street location continues to thrive, the Meadowhall pop-up played a unique role. 

Allice added: “Division street is kind of like the typical customer and might be slightly narrow, but with Meadowhall is has opened us up to such a variety of customers—from teenagers discovering their style to older shoppers buying nostalgic pieces. That diversity was amazing to see.”

Despite the closure, the team hasn’t ruled out a return. A recent Facebook post hinted at future plans.

Alice said: “We’re not sure about something permanent, but we’re definitely trying to get a new unit as we speak. If people want us back, we’d love to hear from them, and fingers-crossed. We’d love to be back soon.” 

In the meantime, shoppers can still visit Glass Onion’s store on Division Street.