This is a small, privately-run garden centre adjacent to the car park at Barry Town railway…read morestation. They sell a small but useful range of plants, and in spring have rows of containers with bedding plants. My parents have been buying stuff from them for several years, and the quality is usually pretty good (although like all bedding plants, get there early if you want to get the best). The choice of plants is very conservative - pansies, petunias, lobelias, that sort of thing - so it's not really for you, if you are looking for something exotic. They have a small shop selling compost and the usual range of sprays and accessories for gardening. Staff are reasonably friendly and will carry your plants to your car if you need help. NB There's no dedicated parking - customers can park on the main road just outside.

Broad Street offers a varied range of plants, gardening materials and decor that suits a wide…read moreselection of tastes and budgets. Conveniently named after its location, Broad Street is perfectly situated next door to Barry's Railway Station and just a few minutes' walk from the neighbouring high street. As someone who kills every plant that graces my flat, I don't know much about gardening, so would value any help offered by a sales assistant. Weirdly, I couldn't find anyone here; I walked around the outside area for a bit without anyone asking if I needed assistance - I thought the place was closed if the gate hadn't been opened. Perhaps they were just in the store room... Even if you're not in the market for any greenery, Broad Street offers a range of statues, bird baths, and bird houses, so you can add a bit of character to your garden without getting your hands dirty.

O'Donovans is a hardware store on Barry's high street, offering a key cutting service as well as…read moreselling a range of products including locks and houseware items like blenders and frames. There's a little bit of everything here, even items I've never seen before, like a Cosmopolitan (the magazine) Drink Fountain for £14.99. You can find vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, and fabric dye here as well. I was surprised how many items could fit in such a small shop; there isn't much rhyme or reason to the setup here, but I've found many hardware stores are like that, so I suppose that's just part of the charm. The gentleman working behind the counter was friendly and happy to let me browse - set aside some time because you're gonna need it!

This always strikes me as a kind of jumble sale muddle of a shop. They sell a range of household…read moregoods.The stock always looks disorganised and cheap, and I can never find what I'm looking for. On the plus side, the staff are quite friendly and they seem to think the stock is fine. There's always a reasonable number of customers in store, so I suppose someone must find it a useful place to go. There is plenty of free parking, so take a look for yourself and see what you think.

Multifurnish has a really great selection of contemporary furniture as well as some really quirky…read morelittle pieces. Compared to the other shops on the high street, this is huge and is an aladdin's cave of great little finds. The sign in the window says that they have 'something for everyone' and that definitely is the case. I'm a fan of more retro looking pieces and there are great chairs that look like they've come fresh from the set of a clockwork orange. They also sell flooring, and electrical goods so you can head there in favor of one of the bigger chain stores if you're furnishing a house. Some items can be a little pricey but it's worth having a look to see if you can find something interesting to suit your budget.

This is a fantastic place to visit with the children. If you are specifically interested in the…read morepottery, it is best to ring in advance but we've often popped in there on the off chance. You can make pots and other clay and paint them then collect later on or you can buy pre-fired goods and paint them yourself. The pottery itself is situated in the Amelia Trust Farm and the farm is a lovely place to take the children. On entry to the farm, there is a park with swings, a play tractor, an adventure park, a slide and a see-saw and of course, benches and tables for the adults! There is a large outdoor chess set for the older children (and adults)! The farm has free range chickens, turkeys and geese. You can pet a pig, goat, sheep, donkey or horse and you can hold the rabbits and guinea pigs. They also have a degu (a cute little creature). They are also hygiene conscious and taps and handwash is also available. You can take a picnic or use the coffee shop and you can always pick up some free range eggs and some bacon/sausages/chops etc - you always know what animal the meat comes from too!! Also, i noticed this summer, they sold some organic veg! There are some lovely nature walks here too and some hidden treasures in the woods (a tree house, activity parks and some steel drums and a large wooden xylophone) as well as a scenic lake with reeds - perfect for bird watching or bug spotting! Best of all - this is free - they rely on donations - so if you go, please make sure you support the farm by dropping in some spare cash into the donation box. It is well worth it and still makes for a cheap day out!

I didn't see much pottery on my visit but I saw beautiful plants aplenty and animals. I saw a wall…read moreof cages with ferrets in with lots of tubes and climbing areas to keep them mentally stimulated. There are also some walkways that lead you to some pigs, donkeys and geese. They also have a little cafe on site that sells tea, coffee and small snacks which were very reasonably priced. At the entrance to the trust there are allotments with lots of vegetables some of which I was unable to name. Altogether a beautiful place to visit and all they ask for is donations to keep the place going.

I have a love affair with Smeg appliances, I may not own any but it doesn't mean I can't look. If…read moreyou're looking for a supplier of such things in the Vale Of Glamorgan (or just looking at them like I do) then this is your best bet. It's a little independent shop but it packs a punch, selling shiny and wonderful fantasy things as well as more traditional kitchen appliances and supplies. There's a wide range of the big, (Ovens and Fridges) the small, (microwaves and kettles) and everything in between. Probably the best place to pick up something quirky and original that you won't find down the local Argos.

A superb shop! Friendly service and a range of top quality products that makes you feel as though…read moreyou're in a sweet shop with all the drooling! We visited this shop a few years ago and were impressed with the range and quality of goods on offer and came away with a set of Le Creuset pans which have had much use since and are all still in tip-top condition. The advice and service we had at the time from the shop owners was second to none - friendly and informative. All in all a lovely 'local' shop in the heart of Barry. We live in the North of England and as such aren't often in Barry but when we next come down we are sure to visit 1st Choice. Highly recommended - even if only for that 'sweet shop feeling'!

Miss Holmes is a boutique home ware and gift shop on Barry High Street that sells a range of…read morefurniture, keepsake mementos, and other accessories. Admittedly, most of the items here are a bit frou frou for my taste (I can't really imagine hanging a £600 giant gilded mirror in my flat), but I can see why this place is doing so well: the shop is beautifully laid out, making the most of the available space with warm, inviting product displays. It's like a posh auntie's living room in here. I personally like the vintage signs like "If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen", while others will enjoy browsing the range of home accesssories from Wax Lyrical, Cavania, and Cath Kidston. When I walked in, I wasn't acknowledged until I piped up with a "Hi", but I assumed it was because she (Miss Holmes, perhaps?) was busy stocking the shelves. Not much conversation after that, I'm afraid. I'd go back though, if I were gift shopping for a fussy female in my life as there's a fine selection of items here to suit most tastes.

Fabulous shop. I was visiting my accountant in the same road. Bowled over by the beautiful layout…read moreof the shop &n my type of gifts. i bought a fabulous cath kitson towel. Could have bought everything in the shop. Will be back to shop soon-all my girlie dreams in one place. Will tell everyone about this fab shop. Think they would do really well too at my Absolutely fabulous shopping events at IKEA etc. Hope they would want to try-as I think I would be their best customer etc.