Rapid DIY is a department store with a difference - it's family run and owned which is nice to see…read morein the days of B&Q and Argos monopolising the market. It's located where John Lewis used to be, right underneath the Radio City tower, impossible to miss. They used to concentrate on selling DIY and hardware, however now they sell everything under one roof, from linen curtains to carpets to the traditional DIY. The store has been recently refurbished, and now has a cafe instore which even sells the traditional scouse! Everything is a reasonable price, considering it is an independent store and in my opinion is on track to compete with the big names in the business.

Rapid DIY is a brilliant all round department store serving several floors that once used to be the…read morehome of John Lewis. It has now expanded greatly and made the most of the former (and well recognised) George Henry Lee building. Rapid is now right in the heart of the city centre with many entrances you can't fail to walk past. The massive improvement is that the building is now fully refurbished to give customers an even better, brighter shopping experience all under one roof! It is still going to expand further in the not so distant future which is also great news. Additionally, there is a fantastic Signature Cafe in store serving hot and cold wholesome Liverpool favourites, including scouse (one of my favourites)! As a whole, Rapid is great value for money and has a huge range of quality goods. You won't be disappointed.

What a pleasure to find a traditional, old, well established furniture company which I stumbled…read moreupon whilst searching for a particular branded item of furniture. Replies to emails and telephone calls were prompt, the service exemplary in every respect, and the prices were unbelievably good. The delivery service was free and the men were very courteous and everything went like clockwork. I purchased over the telephone, and how lovely to get an old-fashioned, hand written receipt in the post the next day with credit card docket attached. Would make this company my number one port of call for any furniture items I may require in the future. Absolutely brilliant!

From the owner: George F Knowles is one of Liverpool, s largest independent Furniture retailers. Established in…read more1903 with a reputation built on great service , competitive prices and an extensive range of quality products. Our 20000sq ft showroom in Liverpool displays some of the best known Furniture Brands. We work with some of the most respected names in the industry and while tradition is at the heart of our business, we acknowledge the growing demand for simple design, natural materials and fresh colour pallets. At George F Knowles in Liverpool our experienced Sales Team will provide expert advice and have " An Extra mile" service mentality.

A must for emerging and established knitters, Purlesque is a gorgeous boutique that sells beautiful…read morewool, yarn, buttons and crochet books. If you haven't got the patience or fingertips to stitch yourself, they also sell adorable hand-made bags, accessories and homeware. I love the mix of DIY jewellery, tote-bags, scarves and cushions but it's the knitted cupcakes and tea-cosies that I have my eye on. You bring the jam and scones, I'll get the kettle on...

This is a lovely little haberdashery store. The staff here are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable…read more Amongst the goodies on sale there is wool, yarn, buttons, jewellery beads, crochet kits, knitting patterns, bags, cushions, fabric and scarves. Everything is arranged neatly and the shop is a joy to browse around. This is a great little shop for when you're feeling a bit crafty :)

Heritage Market is set amongst old fashioned warehouses in an industrial part of Liverpool, not too…read morefar from the Docks. The market has been around for decades and I recall that the last time I visited, was approximately 14 years ago when I bought a cheap magic set. I think after you've read this though, you'll understand why I haven't been back. I've awarded one star for its variety of stalls and another for its unique setting (which may appeal to some) but for me, neither are appealing. The whole indoor/outdoor environment feels dull, dated and unappetising. As for the type of stuff on offer, the previous review accurately sums it up. If you visit on a winter's day, it just adds to the gloominess. So whatever you do, make sure you visit on a pleasant summer's day (if you have to); it'll help brighten up the aspect!

The Heritage Market occupies a dilapidated tobacco warehouse in the old commercial hub of…read moreLiverpool. It's just minutes away from the shiny new Liverpool One shopping centre, on Commercial Road, which runs all the way through north Liverpool. Prior to Thatcher's rule, this was a thriving and bustling area employing thousands of people, the lifeblood of this great city. Now it's ramshackle with most of the docks deserted, but still incredibly interesting to see. I can run riot with my Canon. It may be billed as the Camden of the north but lacks the international flavour of its London 'counterpart'. There is a small food court but unless you fancy burger, chips, or a kebab you're struggling for choice. It's more greasy spoon than full-flavoured market, something you could never say about Camden. The stalls rarely change, from brick-a-brack to household goods to clothes. Once you've been there's no need to go back for a month or so, but it's worth a visit every now and again.

When I think of Primark I think of big queues, big crowds, modern stores and cheap clothes but also…read moreclothes on the lower-quality side, mainly down to the price with Primark basically being a clothing version of ALDI. Located on Church Street, it is basically right bang in the heart of the One and the centre of Liverpool so the location here is really good, the store is quite large and is in an old building so is nowhere near as modern on the outside, or even the inside as other Primark stores I have visited including stores in Gateshead, Cardiff, Newcastle and Amsterdam, most of which I have visited in the past and awarded a three-star rating to. A lack of renovation could let the store down more than ever now, following H&M locating into the old BHS unit, with a more modern store as the retailer is similar to Primark so action is needed soon. This branch of Primark in a way reminds me of Southport's store, inside it isn't too impressive or modern - which is a shame and it contradicts what you would expect considering Liverpool is a big city, the second biggest in north-west England. I didn't like this store, not just because of the poor overall feel but it just was really untidy, I lost count of clothes on the floor before even getting to the men's section (the ladies section os on the ground floor), and by the looks of things, it looked like it had been that way for a while and staff were unbothered by it, and not doing anything to change it, making it an unsatisfactory and unpleasant place to shop overall. An untidy, uninspiring store which even lets Primark down, if you compare this to other branches of Primark including those in Gateshead and Amsterdam, which I did like, it looks like a completely different store, mainly down to the overall feel, staff and cleanliness of a store, this isn't a store I can reccomend or justify anything over a one-star rating for on this occasion.

Every time I walk into Primark, the store is packed with customers the majority of time which…read moresuggests its popularity. It does tend to attract a lot of students and for those who love a bargain, this is the place to shop. Quality of clothing can be unpredictible but it all depends. If you're fortunate, you may find a garment to last you more than a few years. The store itself is plentiful, serving 5 floors which has something to suit everybody. There is even a homeware section on the top tier. Primark is a shop which you'll either love or hate, and I love it!

From the outside the Power Tool Centre looks like a basic garden tool and work wear shop. Inside…read moreyou will find some quite specialised tools and equipment from the higher end of the market such as DeWalt, Markita (my personal favourite power tools manufacturer), Silverline, Festool, Proxxon and Stanley. They stock just about everything including a very good selection of work boots and safety equipment. The staff are helpful and know the products well. When I need a spare part or more often a repair on my power tools (not often with Makita) and garden home accessories I'm here. If you live further afield they offer a mail order service. Why go to a large chain - these guys are so much better.

Been to this shop many times in past 30 years Bought many tools over the years at competitive…read moreprices. Puss they have many tools in store to view which i prefers to shop online. As you can see & judge what your buying .. I have been in many times just to brows. Or pick up a small bargain whats on offer . The first time i went to this store was in 1980s to pick up a Black & Decker drill which had been repaired for lawton and Wallace . whom i was working for that time . Its a good shop for any shop fitter carpenter joinery working in the city of Liverpool to purchase any tools he would need to work in the city. Keep up the Good work Liverpool power tools centre.

I Love Grapevine. The fruit and vegetables are always so fresh and delicious. It's really quite a…read morelarge shop and sells more than the average fruit shop; there's a small range of cooking extras: sauces, oils and dressings, herbs, and fresh eggs, and a fantastic indoor and outdoor plant section, with cut flowers and bedding plants all available. There's always great offers on the fruit, Tuesday I bought a big strawberries for £1 and they were just divine! Great place, but it's a long way to walk back to the train station (or the car park) with heavy purchases.. I don't think home delivery is available.

If you love art, steer clear of Art @ Home…read more I haven't been to any of the company's other stores but can tell you their Bold Street branch is one of the most depressing shops I've visited. Following in the footsteps of companies like Ikea and John Lewis, they sell generic art prints that are produced on a massive scale. Whilst Ikea and John Lewis actually stock some pretty good photographic prints of New York and Tokyo, Art @ Home specialise in mainstream and unimaginative prints of sunflowers, roses, landscapes, portraits and abstract paintings. In short, Art @ Home sell framed and unframed prints for property developers, corporate offices and coffee chains!

One of the most thoughtful, and coincidentally cheapest, presents you can get somebody is a framed…read morepicture. To find a nice photograph of a happy moment or a poster and pair tickets from a concert you really enjoyed and stick it behind some glass in a black metal or wooden frame is both simple and effective. Art at Home is the ideal place to get hold of straightforward frames at reasonable prices. The staff are chatty, helpful and if you bring with you what you're trying to frame they will try their hardest to find a good frame to fit your needs. The art for sale in the shop itself is a little hit and miss, for every Gauguin print there are three or four 'pop art' silhouette canvases of Audrey Hepburn or John Lennon. They do carry an excellent selection of cards here though, blank on the inside with art and photographic prints on the front - perfect for any occasion - especially if you don't fancy giving your nan that card with the fart joke in that you've been keeping in your bottom drawer.