Tomorrow Store Leeds: Meet the man behind the unisex clothing shop stocking rare items by unique designers

Created by Tom Dyer back in 2020, Tomorrow Store first opened in Thornton’s Arcade as part of Welcome Skate Store before the pandemic forced the shop to move operations online.

“It was difficult [when I moved online], I was picking up orders and had all my stock at my mum and dad’s house,” Tom told the YEP. “So I spoke to the guys [at Eat Your Greens] and they agreed to let me use their back room as a stock room and to use the place as an office during the day. Everything just grew from there and after a successful Christmas market we decided to build a shop.”

Since moving to Eat Your Greens in 2021, Tomorrow Store has amassed a following of fashion and music lovers alike, with Tom’s unique curation of local and international clothing items and homeware impressing shoppers across the city. Yet Tom’s love for clothing existed far before he opened his store.

"I’ve always been about style, and personal style, not fashion,” explained Tom. “When I was a kid I remember not going to college and going to Hip when it wasn’t JD Sports back in the day, and my mate would pull out a massive box of stuff that wasn’t on the shop floor yet and I’d be so excited to get a new t-shirt for the night. I think my interest in clothes started there, and then it developed into mixing style with music – it all went hand in hand.”

With his distinctive selection of unisex items selling fast online and in-store, Tom has been able to expand his brand further and keep a sustainable approach at the core of Tomorrow Store.

"Nearly all the brands I sell take into account sustainability, but obviously there is still the issue of air miles so I try to keep things in the UK if I can and buy small batches. I like to keep batches small so if someone comes in and they buy something, they know that it’s had thought and care behind it.

“I do think that is the selling point of the shop; initially I was getting things in small amounts because I couldn’t afford to get lots, but now I like to have a lot of stock but small amounts of each item so there’s more variety. Every item is still special and when it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Adding to the personal touch of Tomorrow Store is the unique opportunity for Leeds creatives to sell their work in-store, as well as collaborate with Tom on projects. "I definitely seek out [Leeds artists],” Tom said. “But a lot of the time it just happens organically because there are so many people doing amazing things in Leeds. I just want their stuff in the shop because I want to have cool stuff!”

One of these upcoming collaborative projects is a new Valentine’s Day t-shirt, with funds raised going towards CALM: a charity supporting those struggling with mental health, and Samaritans. More information about the limited edition shirts can be found on the Tomorrow Store website.