Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....sensory overload....cant shake images from mind.....close my eyes and…read moresee........EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would recommend giving this place a wide berth if your either hungover or feeling a little under the weather as it can be a tad.....eh, mental. One of those shops that sells just about everything you could imagine a shop selling and a little bit more, this place is quite possibly the scariest place i have ever seen. Need a statue of an African lady carrying a water jug on her head? go here. Need a dozen lighters? go here. Random other thing? go here. It really is that bizarre. I would recommend going to this joint and spending a fiver on a random piece of tat for your mates next birthday. Yes they will hate you, but it'll be totally worth it when they unwrap their incredibly life like Gorilla statue....

Well what's not to say about this Aladdin's cave of a place…read more Tourist's and locals in their droves stare in this store window with jaws hitting the pavement. Some of the delights you will see in the window? Well how is a replica of the titanic?, Billy Bass fish, wigs, dreamcatchers, virgin Mary statues, daleks, ornaments of staffy bull terriers and that breed of dog that is the same as Paul O'Gradys Buster, model trains and buses, a plastic dragon with red eyes that light up and wings that move back and forth, real life dolls, prayer books, hoover bags, Elvis statues ohh but to name a few. The real mystery of this place is that they actually sell everthing, every battery and light bulb, these guys have them all. If you went in with a missing bit of the Ark or you needed some bolts for a flying saucer these guys would pop through the back and mysteriously have them, all at discount prices!

Glasgow is littered with places like Rutherglen's the Bargain Store. You know the kind, jack of all…read moretrades, master of none. Sure, you can get a bargain in here but generally for "bargain" you should read cheap. Stocking everything and anything, the Bargain Store is the place you buy your kid a Mickey Mouse toy to appease them for five minutes, before they're left horrified as Mickey's eyes and legs fall off. In saying that, you can always uncover something handy in here, be it Christmas lights, bluetack or a disco ball. It's not good quality stuff, but by rule of thumb, if you can't find it anywhere else, chances are it'll be hidden away in a bargain store.

I've used Stamperland Hardware it more than once and never been disappointed. The owner is very…read moreknowledgeable and helpful. He has a great selection of hardware, and the prices are very reasonable too.

This is a great little independent hardware store and it is full with everything, and I mean…read moreeverything. Need some lightbulbs, check. Clothes pegs? Check. Nuts and bolts? Check. Garden gnomes? Yup. Like I said, they have everything here and it is an exciting place to browse, as there are buckets upon buckets filled to the brim with knick knacks and hardware goods. So if you're feeling inspired and want to do some DIY around the house but have forgotten to buy that tiny screw driver for fiddly nails then this store is a good shout. When the weather permits many of the goods are displayed on the pavement just outside the shop. I came here a few months ago looking for some batteries and they had plenty of them and they weren't too pricey either. The shop owner was very friendly and asked if I needed any help. After that he got me my batteries quick smart and I was on my way satisfied that I could now put some juice in my camera and take some nice new pictures. A great little shop.

Little independent businesses such as A S Electrics are the shops in Glasgow that pleasure me to no…read moreend when I visit. Old school long counter and packed to the rafters with everything you need to fix anything. I went for coat hooks only a few days ago to fit to the underside of a bar (isn't it so frustrating when sitting at a bar and there is no where to put your coat except on your lap!?) and I was offered a wealth of coat hooks, some one which looked like they were from another planet! A great little stopping place if your just looking to mend something in your house but they also supply to independent business too; everything from manager sign to ashtrays, washers to door handles, this place has it all.

Very impressed with the service at this shop! I called to ask if they could look at my dyson which…read morehad stopped working and wanted them to estimate a price. The man I spoke to on the phone was lovely and very helpful, he asked what model it was and what the problem was. He then talked me through how to fix it there and then on the phone! Happy days!! I have a fixed dyson that cost me nothing and I will definitely use these guys in the future.

A visit to The Hardware Hut is like rooting around in your dad's garage, filled with everything…read moreincluding the kitchen sink. This cluttered cavern stocks everything you could ever want in terms of homeware, cleaning, DIY, nameplates, toys and trinkets. This place has been here for as long as I can remember, with the same smiling man behind the counter, accompanied by his long suffering and muttering wife. This comedy duo are always on hand to help and offer advice on your purchases and DIY disasters that are a mystery to me. They say one person's junk is another's treasure, and this place is very much a DIY dad's dream come true.

One of the few places left on the parade that is actually useful. A bit cluttered but stocked with…read moreeverything. Has not let me down yet. The dude at the counter is super helpful too

Quality of the products for the price is excellent…read more However I've found that most the items I require over the years are slowly being omitted from catalogues, so I use them less than I used too Their trade card transition a few years back was glitchy and the company trade uk that they use is easily the worse company I've had to deal with, that's Screwfix forcing that company on traders

I think of Screwfix as a cross between B&Q and Argos. It's really aimed at the tradesperson market,…read moreso often you can get things in bulk so much cheaper than you would for smaller quantities. Picture hooks provide the perfect example. £5.23 for a pack of 100 in Screwfix, £5.10 for a pack of 25 in B&Q. Admittedly the Screwfix deal is probably going to equip a normal person with a lifetime's supply of picture hooks, but who doesn't love a bargain! It's not always cheaper though, so I generally always do a comparison of suppliers. Another recent example - taps. Basic basin mixer tap, very similar models, turned out to be slightly cheaper in B&Q. For wee things like electric switches, ceiling roses, or even bigger items like radiators, Screwfix can be very good, but it's worth checking. One disadvantage to Screwfix is that, like Argos, you can't see the actual goods - you pick them out of a catalogue and someone brings it to you. This is fine if you're a tradesperson and know exactly what you're after. Not so fine if you're not and you don't, or you want to see the quality of the article. Sometimes, you'll get one of the older gents who knows his stuff and is happy to advise. Sometimes, you're on your own. On a more recent visit, to buy toilet flush gubbins, we were approached by a member of staff who asked if we needed any help. We did need help so explained our situation. His response was 'I'm actually here to provide more along the lines of spiritual guidance, rather than anything technical'. Eh whit? If I want spiritual advice I'll head for the nearest church pal, not a hardware store. Pfft. Clearly he was trying to be funny, and admittedly it was quite amusing, but we did actually need technical advice, and found it lacking. Anyway, after returning the 3rd lot of flushing gubbins, we are failing to see the funny side, have abandoned the whole sorry situation and I'm getting a man in to fix it.

Really nice proprietor! Has a variety if handy tools especially if you are moving into university!read more

Do you need something practical for your home? Do you need a filler, dieing for a screw or in need…read moreof a big old hammer??? Well this my filthy minded reader this is the place for all your hardware needs. Nestled on Great Western Road this wee shop is a fantastic emporium of all things handy. Filled to the very brim with all that you would imagine of a place like this and more, i really cant be any more enthusiastic about this place. Having lived in this general area for the last 5 -6 years, this has always been my first stop when i have the "eh....is that broken?" moment. With a remedy for my home ailment usually in stock and a helpfull handy owner always willing to offer help and assistance a the drop of a hardhat (boom, boom!!), the West End Hardware is the finest of place to be....... West End Hardware, it does exactly what it says on the...eh, sign.

As paint shops go, this is a great paint shop. If you're looking for fancy pants paint (or probably…read moreany sort of paint really), it is worth going in here before you go to any of the big DIY stores. It mostly seems set up for trade, but obviously general punters can go in too. The day we were there, as we were leaving, the chap had just pulled down the shutters and was standing outside in the street when a girl came running up, and looked devastated that he was closing. He asked her what she was looking for, and when she answered 'white emulsion' the guy said OK, give me a minute, and went back inside to get some for her. How nice is that! We went in to look for Farrow & Ball testers (I know, proper fancy pants paint!) and had a good chat with the man about paint quality and colours and such. But what pleases me most about this place and the guy who runs it, is that the shop used to be located on Old Dumbarton Road, in a unit that has now been converted into a residential flat, and is the flat that I actually live in! So we had a very interesting chat about how our flat used to look - the counter was in the living room where our couch is, the paint samples were were the telly is, and the mixing area was where the kitchen now is. I realise that this means absolutely hee-haw to anyone other than me, and is therefore completely useless information to put in a review, but I guess my point is that South West Paints is a proper local shop with a long history in the area, and I think it's worth supporting that sort of business.

Such a great shop. The owner obviously knows his stuff and is happy to advise. No fuss - just…read moretells you what you need and how you could do the job; but doesn't mind if you choose something different. Excellent stock and everything you need in terms of equipment too. And 30 minute free parking outside - rarity. I wouldn't go anywhere else.

This is a wee gold mine of a shop. It looks battered from the outside and it is tiny inside, but it…read morehas everything! The main line of business is...well there isn't really one. It's a amalgamation of watch care (e.g. batteries, straps and the like), DIY supplies, electrical supplies and all kinds of bits and bobs in-between. There are some little knickknacks, candles and candle holders too which are not bad for a quick gift in a hurry or to brighten the place up. Admittedly, some of them are a little dated and the like but if you have a rummage you're sure to find something. Meanwhile, the other side of the business is unlocking and repairing mobile phones and PCs. Sadly, I didn't find this out sooner, when I drunkenly dropped my laptop onto the wooden floor and completely broke the screen right off of it. However, should anything happen like that happen again, I'll definitely make a stop in here and see what they have to say. Other plus points, are good prices and friendly staff who are more than happy to give you some DIY advice.