Argh, me and hardware stores really don't work well together, and you'll know that if you've read…read moreany of my reviews on the subject. They are super scary, intimidating shops for most females, and I am definitely no exception. At first glance, Geddis and McKee is a hardcore hardware shop. We're talking high vis jackets, huge manly boots, every nail / screw / whatever else men need that you could possibly think of. It almost screams "man" in a deep, threatening voice. And then I found some rubber gloves that my mum absolutely loves (I am a true rhyming master), and thought, 'huh, this shop isn't as tough as it first looks'. Selling ladies bright yellow rubber gloves is definitely a drop down a notch in the overall manly ratings. In fact, Geddis and McKee isn't as scary as I first thought. It has a whole load of household cleaners and the like, pet food and accessories and even a selection of confectionery. Mmm. Some might say it's almost ladylike. Almost.

Sampsons is one of those places that sort of sells everything. I once went in with a list of the…read moremost obscure stuff imaginable, I think the list included a 40 watt light bulb, some miracle grow, a poker and a bag of turf. Upon entrance the list was taken off me and low and behold within 1 minute all items were on the counter waiting for payment. This is the type of shop Sampsons is, no matter how odd the request they will have it. They are primarily a hardware store but they have recently diversified to the garden market and now offer potted plants and compost. Although on the downside I found the shop very confusing so if you do not know exactly what you are looking for it is best to ask. Sampsons is very reasonable in price and he will sometimes throw in a few extra bits and bobs if he thinks you need them. The only real alternative is Homebase or another big DIY specialist but if you are in the centre of town and you need something no matter how strange (I think they even do plastic spanners and left handed screw drivers) then Sampsons is the place to go.

This is one of the oldest shops in Bangor, it has to be. I have lived here all my life and I don't…read moreremember it not being here. It is based on Hamilton Road which means that it can be tough to get to because of the one-way system but if you park the car in the Asda Car Park it is only a wee hop, skip and a jump across the road so you should be ok. This place stocks everything from garden pots, tools, miracle gro, DIY tools, hammers, spanners, nuts, bolts, brushes, hoes, rakes and basically every type of hardware that you could possibly think of other than light firearms. The staff are knowlegeable and extremely helpful. Always polite and efficent, they make popping in here to pick something up a charm.

It just struck me (like a bolt of lightening, some might say) before I began my review as to why…read morethis place is named so...Hardys Hardware. Excellent. Aside from the innovative name, Hardys is a pretty darn good wee shop. The fact that it's slightly more than a hardware store made me feel slightly more at ease (you may recall my previous review [singular] of a hardware store, and how I felt completely out of place), but I have to say that it was also the accompaniment of my dad that made the whole experience generally nicer. Thanks Daddy. Back to the vast range of stock though. Yes, it's got the wood, tools, gadgets and DIY stuff, but there's a huge variety of other stuff too. There's toiletries, household cleaners, pet goods, home decor...even confectionery! I got lost in the toiletry section while my dad looked for some man thingy. Or something like that. It's definitely the extensive assortment of goods that makes Hardys that little bit special. Hardys and Other Items You May Find Yourself Needing doesn't have quite the same ring though...

One of the best general hardware and DIY stores you will find in NI. The range is huge and its more…read moreconvenient being in the centre of Comber than travelling to B&Q and other superstores in Ards north Down or Dundonald.

This place looks like it's been caught in a time warp, its amazing. Walking through its doors is…read morelike travelling back through time. I'm not sure why anyone would like to travel back in time to a hardware shop but there ya go. It stocks all the dedicated D.I.Yer would need to help them in their quest to ruin their living room by trying to mount their own shelves or flat screen tv. The staff know everything their is to know about the contents of the shop and will help you no end, if it's required.

This is a great little pokey shop on the Lisburn road. With so many new outlets on the Lisburn road…read morecatering for everything from Estate Agents to interior design, its nice to see an old well maintained premises. But lets be honest, for most of us hardware is hardware and I for one like the thought that I can buy my garden spade form a place my grandfather bought his garden spade from. The guys that work look like they have fun, they stock just about anything that a DIY quiz would mention but don't plan any of your weekly hammer purchasing trips on a Wednesday. As they will be having a wee afternoon off!!! Visiting Mr Guinness i gather

This shop really does sell everything!! Great for a day out because they have the coffee shop and…read moreother shops as well to keep you busy! Jackson's is always my first stop for birthday, Christmas and wedding presents! I always find their prices hard to beat as well! Hoping to get back soon to start my Christmas shopping!

From the owner: Our Departments include:…read more Hardware and Homeware Cooks Emporium Jacksons 38 Boutique Lifestyle Coffee Shop the Health Store Lifestyle Interiors We have many great brands across our stores including: Emma Bridgewater, Denby Stellar Le Creuset Nespresso DeWalt Karcher Stanley Toggi Geox A.Vogal Manuka Honey Soaked in Luxury Marco Tozzi Belleek Living Other services include key cutting, Colortrend Paint Mixing! These are just a select few brands across our departments. We would be delighted to welcome you into any of our stores. We aim to provide a really pleasant shopping experience with all the ingredients for a relaxing day, meeting friends or family. Our Lifestyle Coffee Shop is a great meeting place, with fresh scones, homemade traybakes, desserts, sandwiches, lunches and paninis! Hopefully see you soon!

Entering a hardware store isn't exactly one of my most favourite pastimes for two reasons:…read more 1) It reminds me of my childhood, when either my mum or dad (or both, if I was really lucky) would drag me in to find some form of tool (dad), or a gardening implement (mum), or indeed a combination of the both. Happy, happy times. 2) I always feel a bit of an eejit (as they say over here) walking into these types of places, namely because I haven't the foggiest idea what the heck I require in a hardware store, plus I always feel they're one for the men (yes ladies, feel free to fight back - I'm totally not a feminist whatsoever). I'm not really into six-in-one pen knives, nor do I have a notion as to what hinges are required for what, etc etc. I'm basically totally out of my comfort zone. However, on this occasion, I did decide to venture into Stewart and Gibson's. It looked a bit less hardware store-y than many of the hardcore hardware stores I've been in. I mean, it had scented candles and board games, for Pete's sake. In saying that, there was an entire section dedicated to fishing (my forte...not), as well as a home decor / furniture department, both of which masked out the doable aforementioned elements of the store. Eeeek. Seeing my concerned face, and bizarre movements (the 'I need to get out of here' kind), one of the shop assistants asked if I was ok. Yep, ok, I most certainly...was not. Course, I didn't tell him that. I just smiled sweetly, nodded and tried not to imagine what he was thinking at that precise moment in time. Edging ever closer to the door, I managed to subtly and inconspicuously exit the store without drawing too much attention to myself. Phew. Despite not being my scene, Stewart and Gibson is a great hardware store with plenty going on. Four stars I reckon...

I always remember this place from my childhood as a real crazy place where everything went into the…read moreshop.They say hardware shop as a title but the amount of stuff you will find in here is ridiculous really. They have all the things you need to start attempting some amateur house maintenance jobs and everything you would need for doing outside the home up as well, with a range of strimmers, lawnmowers etc. This is where things get a bit more diverse.There is an entire section dedicated to all sorts of children's toys and games, there are a range of bicycles for all ages, a section dedicated to fishing and an upstairs area dedicated to furniture! This is your stereotypical unkempt hardware store, and they are a dying breed.Frankly I like a disparate and disorganised selection as it reflect how I am as a person, so i hope places like this continue to flourish!

McCune's is a well known DIY shop in Carrickfergus. This is one of the few shops in the town that…read morehas been 'part of the furniture' for as long as I can remember. They sell a range of wallpaper, paint, varnish, in fact, pretty much anything you would need for general DIY. Perfect for someone who has a quick job to do, and doesn't want the hassle of having to go all the way up to Newtownabbey to visit one of the larger DIY stores. They also sell a range of gardening items. As has already been mentioned, the staff are super helpful, especially for someone as clueless as me when I wanted to make my first attempt at wallpapering (it didn't work, but it wasn't due to ill advice, just my poor skills) In addition, McCune's is one of the few places locally that you can get a key cut, so if you ever need a spare key in a hurry, this is the place to go. Nice selection of keyrings too!

Popped in here yesterday to pick up some electrical terminal blocks to fit a ceiling light, that…read moresounded very professional didn't it? To be honest I only had a vague idea of what I was looking for but the blokes in Castle helped me out as soon as I walked through the door. This is an old school DIY and hardware store - they seem to have everything behind that counter. The good thing about coming here rather than going to a chain shop is that I was able to walk in ask an expert and leave within 5 minutes. I also didn't have to buy anything I didn't need. They stock plumbing, electrical and decorating equipment including paint but I would suggest just going in and speaking to the guys who work there - they couldn't have been more helpful. What's more, the electrical blocks cost me under £2! Great value!

Castle DIY is an independent hardware store on the Antrim Road, just off by the Cavehill Road…read moreintersection. It's a great place for a bit of local knowledge. I'm not a driver so if something goes wrong or I need to get some paint, its hassle to go to one of the big B&Q or the other big stores. The staff have a great knowledge of everything they sell. I needed some orange paint and whilst they didn't have a certain insane colour (not my choice!), but they offered to get it delivered in withouth any extra charge. Pleasant, knowledgeable guys who will go that extra mile to help.