I was so excited to drop by this local spot today. I'm aiming to get my garden up and running this…read moreyear. There is a lot to choose from at Growing Concerns, including a decent herb collection and plenty of wall growing options for most of the locals who I am sure don't have acres of garden space. Let down a little by the staff who seemed a little like the hibernating plants and devoid of much excitement or indeed information. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt as I intend to head back there for more supplies over the coming months. Its got a cute little set-up right on the edge of Victoria Park and has an extra gate onto the canal so if you're strolling you might pop by.

Went here with my other half a couple of times to get ideas about herbs and flowers for our garden…read morein the balcony. The selections they had were plentiful and the staff was helpful and knowledgeable. Finally, weeks after the rain, we decided to return here and pick plants. We bought a smorgasbord of trailing flowers, herb plants and tomatoes. Its great! They even accomated us to do out planting there since we have no place to plant at home. They even provided us with tools to do the planting. As for their location, it is conveniently located just around the corner from Victoria Park and next to Regents Canal. Overall, we are happy to have found Growing Concerns.

Your friendly local hardware emporium. They have it all - screws, hammers, doorstops, cleaning…read moreproducts. Yes, this is a regular one-stop-shop of the old-fashioned variety, where the owner knows the regulars and will cheerfully point you in the right direction for whatever obscure item you're looking for - and he knows, because he probably ordered it and placed it there himself. I've always had helpful and friendly service whenever I've walked in here - and have actually been pleasantly surprised to discover that I've also never left without the item I was looking for. It may look small, but this shopkeeper seems to have a sixth sense for what his customers will inevitably need.

Great hardware store, stuffed to the rafters (literally - there's stock displayed up to the…read moreceiling). Everything for home decorating needs including lumber - so if you need some 2" x 4" or dowel, they'll cut to your requirements. Also random stuff like baking tins, garden equipment as well as being suppliers for Dulux and other paint brands. It's a family run business and all of the staff are really helpful, particularly if you're a DIY novice.

This shop has two sides, a great local DIY shop and woodcutting service, if they don't have what…read moreyou need they will order it in, and a dolls house shop that also has a lot of model shop.

A huge stock of dolls house items at keen prices, it's part of a hardware shop, an old fashioned…read moreplace that sells everything, also timber cut to size. Take a 241 bus from Plaistow tube station or the bus station at the Westfield shopping mall in Stratford. Get off at request stop AC (Barking Road), just walk round the corner into Barking Road and you are there. Also there is parking behind the shop, take the turning by the swimming pool and turn right. I don't know of any other dolls house shop in this part of London; note, they are closed on Thursdays and Sundays.

Another General store, this time in Plaistow, very close to the leisure centre. It has great access…read moreby bus and is a 10 minute walk to plaistow station. I dont think that this store is that good. Im going by memory as i havnt been here for a while. To be honest, im not even sure if its still trading with that name, but i remember what it was like. This was a general store that hardly anyone went to. There were plety of other places that you could go to in and around plaistow, that peoplewouldnt go here. It looks cheap and tatty, as do the products outside, that look like they have spend 10 years outside and not been cleaned. I think the only reason to go here, is to buy batteries or some hangers. And even those, you were lucky if they worked. I would never buy anything that i really needed form here, as you would most likely be disappointed, as i was when i bought an alarm clock that didnt make a sound, except at random times of the day or night. Not recommended.

This was a fantastic shop for all those bits and bobs you needed it was two shops in one and it had…read morea great range of quality products. Products ranged from personal care(creams,makeup,deodrant and bath products),tools(hammer, screws), photo frames toys , cutlery,everything a person needs or runs out of and id say the most thing that they sold were batteies and lightbulbs because thats the thing most people run out of. Unfortunately this store has now closed and i am very dissapointed that it has because it was a fantastic shop that had everything and it will be sadly missed.