I really enjoy popping in from time to time, and checking what is new on the shelves at this cute…read moregift store on Mokoia Rd. Can be overlooked as the store, is located between takeaway food stores, and a skate clothing outlet shop. Venture in to find an amazing range of choice. All the gifts have an artistic flair to them I believe which is amazing. I arrived not knowing what I wanted to buy, and found two presents within minutes- that is not hard to do here. Walk out the back of the store and there is an outside section that sells outdoor/garden gifts- a favorite area of mine. A creative option of gifts here before the store across the way.

Art of Gifts is a gorgeous collection of art and gifts... predictably. There's so much to feast…read moreyour eyes on it's a bit much to take in in one go. What caught my attention first was the stash of wallets on the shelf to the left of the entrance. They were leather and came in all sorts of colours and styles and patterns. For what they were they were quite affordable. I was hooked by a $19 coin purse! Wondering around the rest of the store you see lots of home décor stuff and quite a bit of Kiwiana. The best is outside the back. It's quite easy to think you're done after doing a quick circuit inside but if you potter up into the outdoors you will see a beautiful garden with great little things to make your own garden look just as beautiful. I was mentally taking note of everything I wanted so I could come back on payday and spend up large.

It was nice to see such a lovely little shop pop up in Birkenhead, since, let's face it, the…read moreshopping area itself is a bit down-at-heel. Crave and a few other little cutesy boutiques are giving this shopping centre a new spark of life, which is fantastic. From the outside the shop is very enticing, with a great mix of funky homewares and a few gift items thrown in the mix. My personal opinion is this shop is a bit over-priced though. I picked up a few items to see the price tag and almost immediately set them back down again. As cute as a box of stripey paper straws is, I'm not paying $12.50 for it. Perhaps if they got in a few reasonably priced options I'd be back.

Crave is a top quality home and gift store that is a new comer to the classic Birkenhead shops…read more Located at the corner of Mokoia Rd in Birkenhead, you will be in for a delightful shopping experience at this stylish boutique. They are award winning as of 2012 receiving a retail excellence award- so enough stated really. If you wondering what to buy a friend or family member who seems to have everything and anything. You might be lucky in finding a few special pieces in this original gift and home store. Stylish cushions and jewellery are my fave's here, because they have flair and style and standout with oomph! The staff are friendly and will help with your needs, all you need to do is call out. If you have found that perfect pressie they will also wrap it up to look gorgeous darling! A real shopping experience with class and sophistication.

Nestled comfortably into the very hip and stylish high street is this amazing arty craft store. I…read morelove this store as it reflects the beauty of our country. The shop is not a huge store however has so much selling that you are just spoilt for choice. The owners have put their heart into the foundations and you feel this, as you browse the shelves. If you want to buy an original kiwi gift, this is where you should look. The highlight of this store for me is the Home Textiles Range, really vibrant and creative designs on Table cloths, Table Runners, Tea Towels, and Cushions too, all reflecting creativity, and culture, and it makes me remember that we are living in the largest pacific island city . Worth a look in, even if you can't afford it, step in for some free inspiration.

My first thought when I walk in is always "Are you a tourist shop, or aren't you?". I just can't…read morework it out. But that doesn't mean I don't quite like Pauanesia - it's got a nice range of giftware featuring local designers and makers. I especially love the big stuffed kiwi made from old woolen blankets they have in at the moment. They also have some quite nice jewellery, mostly pendants and rings, and gifty kind of things suitable for, well, tourists? Or maybe people that just quite like New Zealand. Or people overseas who you send gifts to that have a 'kiwi feel' to them. Is it tacky? Is it cute? I think it might be somewhere in between.

Call me a weirdo, but I have a long standing interest in ships. I think it started with watching…read more'Titanic' back in the late 90's. That kicked off a long standing love of ocean liners and all shapes and sizes, which has since grown into a love of all things nautical. It is a serious interest - like when I visited LA my favourite part wasn't Disneyland - it was visiting the RMS Queen Mary... Anyway, I discovered 'All at Sea' years and years ago, and while I've done much more looking than buying over the years, I can certainly imagine lots of this stuff adorning a future home of mine - think cool models of ships, wooden wheels, engine telegraphs, barometers, bells - there's all sorts of cool stuff in here for ship buffs of all ages! One day I swear I'll just buy all their models and stick them in glass cases and start my own nautical museum or something...

I love this store - I found gifts for several people in my family, mainly females and I must admit,…read moresomething for me of course... Beautiful scarves and fashion Jewellery, picture frames, cute clocks and candles with heavenly scents from Living Light Candles hand made in Golden Bay. They also have baby gifts and clothes, leather handbags and wallets - silk and cashmere scarves. The selection of Sterling silver Jewellery is fantastic, the best I have seen in a long time. Mainly from 2 NewZealand companies: Sterling and Evolve. And then a great selection of fun and inspiring greeting cards!

The best thing by far about Inspired is the massive range of jewellery. It's all laid out on the…read morebig central table and includes necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. It's mostly all silver-based and is good quality, but best of all, it's really cheap! So it's a nice place to buy a little something for yourself without breaking the bank. Inspired is quite a big shop and the rest is filled with gifty type stuff - clothes, scarfs, handbags and that kind of thing. There's nothing particularly stand-out about the rest of the stock, but it's definitely a solid gift-shopping option in the CBD that isn't either top-range or The Warehouse.

The oldest souvenir shop on Queen Street…read more Surprised that there aren't more souvenir shops in the Central Business District. Kiwiana has stood the test of time. Proudly representing Auckland since 1953.

From the owner: The oldest souvenirs store on Queen Street since 1953. We have a wide range of New Zealand made…read morewood carvings and hand made jade products from local studios.

Arazzo is Mum & I's go to for gifts. They stock a beautiful range of candles, gorgeous body…read morelotions, silk scarves, jewellery, cookbooks and more. But the best thing about this small shop is that they turn over their stock at lightning speed, which means for a regular like me there's always something new to fawn over. It's obviously as popular with the other Milford locs as it is with our family. The other fabulous thing about Arazzo is that, compared to many other independent home decor stores, it's affordable. I love candles and so they have become somewhat of a price indicator for me and at $40 (they have quite a range), Arazzo's are an absolute steal! Try their beautiful handmade ones from Devonport. I forget the brand name but they come in a stylish black and white box and are stunning. They also currently have some fabulous christmas decorations, which the owner tell me are flying out the door. Cute wee reindeer and fairy lights galore - it certainly put me in a festive mood!

If you're after expensive New Zealand souvenirs to take overseas, this is as good a place as any to…read morevisit. They have all the standard souvenirs you'd expect, like sheepskin products, all the kitschy NZ themed stuff, stationery, etched glass things and a wide range of the standard and bulk sizes of nutritional supplements (royal jelly, placenta, bee pollen, manuka honey etc) and the matching skincare. They also stock the Ugg Boots range, and for $379 you can get yourself a pretty outrageous pair of sequined Ugg Boots. I don't understand the pricing on these, but if that's your thing, this is where you get them! They also have the Ugg baby range, which are actually quite cute little bootie shoes and things, but I couldn't justify spending $100 on a pair of baby shoes that would fit for about 2 weeks.

Great prices great souvenirs! Very friendly staff! I would definitely recommend this place to…read morefriends visiting this area!

The name "OK Gift Shop" is pretty funny. It's like, "go here for the gifts for people you don't…read morecare too much about but have to get one for." Ironically enough, this is actually one of the better gift shops I've come across. I don't make a habit of gift shopping, but I try to make a habit of gift receiving, and I wouldn't mind if I got one from here - if I was overseas that is. On the day I went they had a weird little promotion where buy a number and they spin a thing, if you win you get a prize. There must have been about 40 Japanese school kids on a trip in the shop all hoping to win big so I missed out on having a chance, but it looked pretty cool. For once, a shop that actually outshines it's name.

You can find OK Gift Shop in Downtown shopping Centre corner of Customs Street and Albert Street in…read morethe heart of Auckland's city. They are on level one, not easy to miss in this small mall. I was impressed by the fact this souvenir shop sold work by New Zealand artists, probably commissioned based, but so are galleries. It is a great way to buy a unique gift for someone without having to trek out into the outer markets or surrounding suburbs if you on a tight time schedule but want to buy that something a little bit different and not mass produced overseas. Their was photographic art, ceramics with Kiwi iconography and New Zealand's natural timbers made into crafty useful objects. I personally picked up a small ceramic plaque with a kiwi bird on it and a nice green glaze over the top, it was by 'Art Locker' and cost me $9.20. I was pretty happy with that, and I hope my friends in Perth will too, since it is intended for them. A lovely little, well quite big actually, store to keep in mind when on the hunt for presents to go overseas.

Askew is the epitome of designer goods: hand-picked items including children's school bags, Alessi…read morekitchenware, timeless gift cards, luggage, clutch purses, jewellery, moleskin notebooks etc... When I want a unique or quirky present, I always go to Askew. On the quiet, I have purchased a lot of secret gifts for myself too (love my kimono key ring). Great, personable service, who talk to you like a human being. Hurrah! Parking all around, open long hours. I encourage YOU to check Askew (Ponsonby) out if you haven't already...super stylish store that offers luxury, and you 'feel' valued! Quite uncommon in modern life.

The original cool random crap shop. I can remember this place being around in the 90s and being the…read moreoriginator of designer gadgets and funky gifts and homewares. There are now loads of other similar shops around but they perhaps don't have quite the same sense of style as Askew. Whoever does their buying has impeccable taste, and a champagne budget perhaps too, as you will not get much on the cheap here. Currently I'm eyeing up the Hunter wellies and cable knit socks. It's good to have something to look forward to this winter! The wooden sunglasses are also very cool.