There are two World's Apart shops in Liverpool and contrary to the name they are actually quite…read moreclose together. This building in Lime street is a mess and needs a sympathetic refurb and clean. I was surprised to discover that actually this shop is part of a small chain. I visited the shop for the first time this week. It's full of comics and toys you simply can't get elsewhere - not that I have tried. So many of the toy figures I could not recognise although I did spot some of the original Dr Who figures and some from Final Fantasy. Forget Toys R Us, this place is a wealth of badges, stickers, games and oddness for kids, adults and fans of things I've never even heard of.

Like its geeky counterpart, Forbidden Planet on Bold, World's Apart deals in all things cult. Cult…read moreis often a term used to describe things that have a strong, devoted core audience - or for studio executives something with low viewing figures. But no more, the popularity if this store can be seen on Saturday afternoons as children and adults alike fill the store and rummage through the amazing collections of limited edition, imported and new toys, comics, books, graphic novels, DVDs, posters and clothing for every genre and range of sci-fi, horror and anime franchise.

In these days of big companies like HMV and Zavvi (or whatever it's called these days) dominating…read morethe music retail business, as well as the rise of downloading music (whether legal or illegal), it's easy to forget the charm of independent local music shops like Quicksilver Music. Hidden down Market Street, Quicksilver is a small but appealing shop that sells a modest but varied selection of CDs and vinyl, both of which are split quite helpfully and comprehensively into different genres and artists. You do still have to search through them a bit for a few hidden gems, but that's all part of the fun. As well as selling music, Quicksilver also sells a small selection of electric, acoustic and bass guitars as well as a few amps. None of them are particularly expensive models (most are at the cheaper end of the spectrum) but some models there have been discontinued so would be considered quite rare. The selection may be quite small but there is quite a variation and if you're looking for a more original choice for a basic guitar then there are some bargains on offer there. Quicksilver Music might not be for more commercial music fans but if small independent music stores with a bit of character appeal to you, then it's definitely a place to check out and support.

I wish this shop had opened five or ten years ago when I was still interested in video games but…read morenevermind, with the demise of Game'z this shop has every chance of success and hopefully will be here for years to come so even if I've missed out then my kids won't! It's not as big as their store in Rhyl so it doesn't have the same range and choice but it's a good place for a browse nonetheless.

One of the last remaining secondhand record shops in Liverpool is Hairy Records. Situated at the…read moretop of Bold Street, it's a gloriously ramshackle shop that has literally dozens of racks of old vinyl. The window is a great indicator of what you'll find inside with well thumbed copies of early Dylan, Neil Young and Van Morrison records alongside old classics by The Cure, The Smiths and The Specials. It's not all rock and pop however, as inside there are literally hundreds of brilliant soul, funk, disco, motown, northern soul, girl groups, reggae and krautrock albums. If you can't find what you're looking for, ask the friendly owner and there's a chance he might have a copy somewhere. I only chatted to him for five minutes and it was clear his passion and enthusiasm for music was infectious. In the week, Hairy Records is quite quiet so you'll have time to look through everything without being disturbed. At weekends however, expect to be elbowed by local musicans like The Zutons and The Coral. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJrGKqYYfdY

Liverpool's selection of independent record shops is so bad, considering the city's monumental…read moremusical heritage, it's almost laughable. Hairy is one of the few left and is probably the biggest and best known. Its collection of vinyl is tremendous with stacks and stacks from all genres and eras that you can happily spend days rooting through them all. But like all specialist shops - particularly record shops - there is always a catch. Remember High Fidelity? Remember the father innocently asking Jack Black if he had a copy of 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'? Yep, just be careful.

Vinyl shopping is somewhat of a cult really, isn't it. All those stacks of dusty LPs in there,…read morethey've squeezed every last gem they can find into that itsy bitsy room oh and then there's the Funeral for a Friend LP I spotted on the wall. I suppose this is Quiggins after all. There is quite an extensive Beatles section as one would expect in Liverpool, some rarities and also some classics. They also stock decent CDs (You know, them new fandagled whatsits that came after vinyl?) and DVDs too. However, they also have tapes. Including The Terminator Soundtrack. Amazing.

Like Probe Records and Hairy Records, this is one amazing shop if you love and adore music on vinyl…read morerecords, or even if you just love old music and you are trying to find that special song, or that last missing album from your collection. There is quiet a variety here, so there is something for everyone. Also, they sell a few second hand CD's of popular oldies music as well, so even if you don't have a record player, it's still worth a pop in. They are located upstairs in Grand Central on Renshaw Street. So, polish your dancing shoes and wheel that old "gramophone" out of the closet because you're going to need it ...

Favourite record shop in Wrexham. Lots of selection on Vinyl record and CD with multiple genres…read moreavailable. The prices are affordable and I can usually find what I'm looking for. The owner is a friendly man who knows a lot about what he sells and is nice to talk to about albums etc.

Hmmm, in my opinion, Cheshire Oaks should have something a bit more well known such as HMV or…read moreZavvi...anyway, this shop is ok, sells most CD's and DVD's and games that you would expect but considering it is on the outlet side, prices don't seem all that much cheaper.....