I LOVE this shopping Centre; it's busy, bustling and brimming with all the treats you could want…read more One of the best things about the shopping centre is the Sainsbury's; it's the best and cheapest supermarket mega-store in the area, and has the largest selection of Quorn and vegetarian foods in the area (aside from specialist shops). There's also an Iceland, although I'm pretty opposed to this chain it is cheap as chips. There's the Hackney obligatory Percy Ingles, the bakery and a hot nut stand (the shop used to be on Kingsland Road but has now moved in here). There's also clothes shops, a Holland and Barret and acupuncture shop. As if in keeping with the Ridley Rd market, there's also stalls inside selling clothes that Albert Square would be proud of! Then of course there's the infamous Matalan where there was sadly a terrible murder earlier this year. This forced a tightening of security, and you often see police men wandering around. That said, the liveliness of the shopping centre is infectious, and seriously, the Sainsburys is well cheap!

Kingsland shopping centre needs a good refurbishment because at the moment it is grim rundown with…read morerubbish shops eg matalan and market stall which make crammed and lot of the retail units in the shopping centre is small which is not good and the shopping centre is not welcoming eg no benches,toilets.car parking price is so expensive not wroth the price.hardly famous retail brands in the shopping centre which is really bad.the shopping centre smell like brunt oil which is really bad and unfriendly and the popcorn stall should their own shop.i only go to shopping centre because no else in the area to shop.i prefer to go to Stratford.

Great for quirky gifts for loved ones (they do fab wrapping paper), and the place lives up to its…read morename in that it really is quite a small nook - be aware of where your bag is in case you knock anything over! I LOVE their crockery and kitchenware here, but find it slightly scary that they can charge 7+ quid for some cheap-looking plastic plates. The aesthetic of this shop's offerings is very much what you'd expect the love child of Marimekko and IKEA to look like, so definitely worth a visit for some beautiful (if slightly overpriced) homewares.

Let's put it simply; I could have bought the entire store. (If I had the money, that is)…read more It's a truly ace place to find presents as well, especially for the home-buddy amongst your love ones (have you heard? Christmas is coming?)

It's such a shame that this place is like a ghost town. The Fonthill road is just begging for a…read moredeveloper to place an upmarket shop or cafe plonked in the the the middle of this vibrant bustling shopping st. Stroud Green road has a brilliant vibe, traditional ethnic convenience stores mixed with classy restaurants and even the odd cheap n cheerful chicken shop. With all the development happening near the tube and the cut through to the 'Fashion Centre' it was an utter disappointment to discover its sad and stale air where there was nobody serving at the Fashion Cafe and what was on display looked like it had seen better days. Annoying as the board on the street caught my eye on the way into the tube and there's a handy cut through into the mini shopping centre. Put something nice in here please. Build it and they will come!

Initially went in here thinking it was a furniture recovery and up-cycling place, but it wasn't,…read morebut kinda still felt like it. It is a lovely little shop that has been put together with a tasteful mish-mash of furniture and shop fittings from many different eras. Quite a wide range of products on offer here from cosmetics and men's shaving kits to hand made cushion covers and personalised stationery sets. This place is well worth popping into, even if it is just to look at the great decor of the shop itself :)

Classic *SIDN store for me. Very pretty, mostly too expensive for my salary…read more Accessories, stationary goods, art, housewares, skincare products. Sigh. At least a look around is in order when I'm in the neighborhood. *Shit I Don't Need. The kind of place where I want everything but don't really need anything and wouldn't spend that much money on myself but maybe on a present for a friend.

An unexpected treasure trove!…read more I was hit with a very big dilemma: there are no closets here. Not in my flat, not in the UK -- nowhere!? And despite my best efforts, I have a lot of clothes. I think they mate when the lights go off. So I was on the hunt for a wardrobe/armoire. I checked all the stores that deliver and besides looking like they came straight off a factory belt in ugly finishes and faux wood colors -- they were EXPENSIVE. Pricey and ugly? No thank you. So my stuff just sat all splayed out on the floors driving my neatnick husband insane. It was fun for awhile but then he started really getting annoyed and so I got serious about this mission: FIND A WARDROBE. The Restoration is a gold mine of vintage, refinished wardrobes for a fraction of what you'd pay on the High Street. I scored a massive (seriously - huge!) double pine wardrobe for 330 + 5 for delivery. They disassembled it, drove it here, hauled it up the stairs, reassembled it and then even offered to move it around the room until I had it where I liked it. Free (or close to free) local delivery depending on where you live. Beats the hell out of a box from Ikea that not only would I have to figure out how to get here, but would hate myself trying to put it together. There were no less than 15 really great pieces to be had plus a really lovely collection of tables, chairs, dressers, bookshelves and the like. Everything is lovingly refinished and pried competitively. Sophie (the owner) is absolutely great to work with. The showroom (on Bouverie Mews) is on the tiny side street off Bouverie -- if you can see the Daniel Defoe pub, you are close! It's across the street from Cobbled Yard (also worth a look at if you are here in the area). *cash, cheque or bank transfer only (upon delivery). My clothes are off the floor and my flat feels organized -- mission accomplished. I'm going back for a few more items. They keep their inventory on their web site, too -- they have really great pieces that are way more affordable and unique than the big box shops.

Fantastic shop, I always find hidden gems and the owners are friendly and offer a great local…read moreservice

This store has a surprisingly good selection of really good boots. Being a couple of inches off…read moreofficial dwarf status, it is nigh on possible for me to find boots that don't make me look like some sort of mystical wood creature or something that lives under a bridge eating goats and growling at passers by. I didn't actually find a perfect pair here, but came closer than normal and for anyone without weird hangups about leather to leg ratio, this is a fantastic shop to start the yearly boot search. They stock a variety of mid price range designers who have all captured the essence of more expensive boot makers (think Fiorentini and Baker or Belstaff) without copying these designers to the letter. They are particularly well stocked on biker type boots and in general the quality of materials used is high. Shopping here is a pleasurable experience aided by friendly, relaxed staff, warm lighting, comfortable seating and good music. I love the window display which features a miniature toy train running around the store and weaving between all the gorgeous boots and shoes.

This new shop on a corner of Stoke Newington Church Street is anything but scruffy, and you…read morecertainly won't want to get these shoes muddy. Each shoe is wonderfully placed on its own mirrored shelf, and the prices range from £50 to £150. There are some uniquely designed shoes and boots to be found here, and you might find a pair that make you want to dance. What I like most about this store is the level of personal attention each customer receives, and the friendly and helpful staff - they meet a standard that seems higher in Stoke Newington compared to the rest of London! If you're looking for winter boots, there are some great varieties in stock, as well as sandals and strappy heels in the spring.

Thank you Thomas A for his talk thread that has inspired this review. Since the end of Woolies…read more(sniff sniff) this store has filled my bargain needs as and when required. When moving hous this is pretty much my one stop shop, it's a cross between a pound store on one side and right next door is this discount store that sells things for slightly more but are still a bargain. Don't be afraid to haggle too, I always do, and no it never really works they just point at the price tag and shrug but at least I'm trying! I have bought a fabulous soft rug here for my new flat, not the prettiest thing in the world but it was well over 10ft square and only cost £60. Other stuff they do is washing lines, tea pots, random crap that you don't need but suddenly think you do when you're in there and more. Seriously, if you are in the area make sure you pop in. It's a great random store.

I flippin love a pound shop! All those rows and rows of coat hangers and candles for a under a…read morepound! Great when you move into a new place and need things to make the place look and smell pretty; candles, incense, cheap vases etc. I always bulk buy coat hangers from here as they're cheap and useful. Great for large quantities of batteries, washing powder and shampoo. Also good for fairy lights and Christmas decoration, a really useful resource for those with no money but will to decorate. I dare you to pop in and find nothing you want to buy...

I've always found this vintage store a bit hit and miss. The selection of shoes and bags is…read moreusually quite good but a lot of the clothes are not what I would consider to be vintage. There seems to be a lot of early 90s wear, discarded sleeveless polo necks from Tammy Girl and the like. They do however have a good selection of leather jackets for men at quite reasonable prices. The dresses are mostly garish full-length 70s numbers, but any vintage shopper worth their salt should be equipped with a sewing machine or at least a mate with one so that the strange hemlines of yesteryear can be easily rectified. I wouldn't say it was worth journeying to Church Street from afar to sample the goods in this store but it is always worth a look in if you happen to be in the area.

You have to do some real hunting at Ribbons and Taylor to find a bargain! There is a variety of…read morevintage clothing for both men and women available. The store however looks a bit like someone's warehouse or forgotten garage space full of clothes and shoes. Vintage has real charm, but they seem to have forgotten that here by cramming everything into one space. The shoes are what I always look at here, as well as some of the bags. There are some really funny clothes here, and its such a laugh to go with a friend and try on some ridiculous clothes. But you can always have a look around, develop your archeological skills and have fun!

I have to say, I'm really not a fan of big corporations, especially when it comes to clothing…read morechains. It is mainly for ethical reasons, but aside from that, I don't feel like you get what you pay for. If there is one good thing I can say about Primark, it's the fact that you don't usually hand much money over the counter. The store in Hackney Central is nothing to write home about. It is busy, quite unorganised, and a bit bland. I don't have too much contact with these places, so maybe most of them are like that. Hackney Central has a lot of amazing second hand clothes on offer for a very similar, if not cheaper, price to Primark.

Quality clothes for cheap prices how good can it get Primark…read moredo have a whole range of clothes from tracksuits to suits for a low price and they are stylish and will not rip or tear without a fight