Merkland Street Furnishers is a hidden gem of a furniture shop opposite Partick Subway Station…read more Ranging from Art Deco to modern, this family business sells an eclectic mix of antique and second hand furniture and homeware. Deceptively packed full of things despite it's small size - you'll find everything from dining chairs, sofas, mattresses, dressing tables and ceramics to TVs and electricals. I'm told that stock changes every day, so keep an eye out to catch the best bargains. They also have a great selection of artwork - most of it is piled up in amongst the furniture, so be prepared to have a bit of a rummage. Last time I was in they had an amazing Raffaelo-esque painting which was about five foot long. If only I had the wall space. Or the available funds. I think that this shop is really charming, and the huge smiling face of the woman working there certainly helps. Although not too pricey, they're also open to negotiations - so never fear if you fall in love with something a little out of your price range! As well as the furniture on sale, Merkland Street Furnishers also buys furniture and performs house clearances. Keep it in mind if you're looking for some unique and stylish furnishings.

This fine establishment has pitched itself in the area for years and has always intruiged me -…read morehowever, I had never had a chance to visit until today! Although it's modest on the outside, the owner has somehow managed to magic this place into a cove full of furniture from various eras. At times it is more akin with the antique shops in the area than a knock off furniture store with some hidden ornamental gems. There are a number of classily framed prints and paintings available, and some gorgeous mirrors embellished in an art nouveau styled gold frame. Although this shop is small it has the same effect as Mary Poppins' bag - endless and packed full of useful and often beautiful furniture. It hosts everything from simple pine drawers and cupboards to elegant varnished mahogany dining tables. I'm on a seemingly endless hunt for a nice wee wicker chair and the lady in charge was more than happy to assist me with my quest. She did house one but it was unfortunately of an Imperialist style and looked like it would be more at home in a 1900s merchant home than attempting to bundle it into my room. It was however gorgeous and reasonably priced considering its condition, so it's definitely one to watch if you're looking for slightly more unusual, cheaper furniture than on the high street. There's enough variety in here to keep all sorts of browsers amused!

I'm often found in antique shops or auctions these days. There is shops hidden behind byres road…read moreand down a wee dirt track road, there you will find Ruthven Mew's Arcade where there are 11 antique markets/shops under one roof, you can find unusual items like old furniture, lampshades, art's and crafts ware ect. Well worth a wander here.

What an epic warehouse of a place! The outside is very…read moreunassuming and has all the appearence of some roadside mechanics, with some parking out front. Yet, when you get inside, and the wonderful smell of polish and must hits your nostrils, you realise this is not a place to be sniffed at (see what I did there, eh?). It's a huge building, sectioned without barriers into different Antique dealer's stalls. Though most look more like a living room or miniature junk shop rather than a stall, and some are clearly used only for storage purposes. Yet, this place is magical - there are so many treasures to be found here, you won't know where to look first. And what you'll see is jewelry and furniture (of such variation I won't even begin to describe it), fur coats, stuffed foxes and zebra skins, crockery, knick knacks and some really incredible one off items. I've never been anywhere like it - at least in Glasgow. Check. It. OWWT.

I used to live just round the corner from here, and loved to drop by for a Sunday afternoon…read morerummage! Now I've moved, this place is still on my go-to list of places for housey things, or to simply spend an hour browsing a plethora of antiques and vintage items. The layout is essentially a warehouse from which a couple of dozen dealers operate from. If a particular dealer isn't there, another will help with a purchase or price negotiation, often phoning them on your behalf. Some dealers specialise in furniture, some fireplace surrounds / architectural salvage, others clothing, paintings, bric-a-brac. You'll definitely find things to interest, amuse and confuse under its roof! In recent years there's been a big clear-up, I'm sure due to BBC TV shows filming there (Under The Hammer?). I've bought a beautiful gilt-framed mirror, vintage Christmas-pudding teapot, and some champagne saucers there, but my eye is on a Monk's bench - if you spot one at a good price, do let me know! Tip 1: On-street parking applies Mon-Sat, but it's cheap. If you're lucky you might get parked for free in one of the few spaces at the front of the building. Or visit on Sundays for free street parking. Tip 2: In winter, take a coat, it's chilly inside! Tip 3: Remember to haggle!

Im quite often in my spare time l head to antique or charity shops trying to source various vintage…read moreitems for others. This shop only stocks a small selection of antiques & collectables and also sells vintage vinyl records if your into that thing. On the few times that I've been here I've struggled to find anything worth buying. Selection In this shop antiques is limited this may be due to the size of the shop I've been here in a few occasions and have struggled to find anything to buy. If your looking for records then yes this is your kind of place. I don't see myself going out of my way to come here. An ok shop overall but not a good selection compared to other nearby antique shops but they do have s good selection of records.

Very nice owner but felt prices were high with little negotiation room. Small amount of stock.read more

Forgive the pun, but this shop is an amazing hidden gem on Dumbarton Road. (Get it?!)…read more In this tiny shop you will find an amazing array or antique jewelry, ornaments and crockery. There are so many lovely things squeezed into this shop that you won't know where to look first. Even more of a squeeze - when I went in there were four other customers and two members of staff. Obviously, this shows that Gemsearch is popular, but it did mean we all had to do some serious breathing in! I thought that the best thing about this shop was the jewelry. Much of it is viewable from the window, and there are pieces of silver jewelry available for as little as £20. Perfect if you're looking for a special gift for someone. I was also very taken by the array of ornaments and glasswear. They had some lovely antique vases for almost nothing. The walls are covered with decorative plates and clocks, etc. My favourite featured brightly coloured fruit, and was a steal at £8. The staff were lovely, and really knew their stuff. While I was there they were advising a customer about how to repair a piece of jewelry that had stones missing - including a very long discussion about whether he should replace them with matching stones (very expensive) or different stones (which would look great). In conclusion, Gemsearch is my new favourite antique shop.

It's classy, it's real and the stock is of very high quality. The two guys that run it are great to…read moretalk to and remembered me months after I bought a beautiful genuine Harris Tweed jacket. I bought a superb old wooden wardrobe from them 30 years ago. It wasn't cheap but has easily doubled in value if not more. Go with an open mind and pick up something that calls out to you. If you're looking for cheap, dusty old tat then look elsewhere. That would be my advice. Don't go elsewhere, though because you will miss some very fine and extraordinary items of interest. Treat yourself and enjoy the quality and tranquility of this unique little West End enclave. This place is a gem and so are both of the guys who run it.

Every time I walk past this shop I'm seduced by the old fashioned wooden packing crates that sit on…read moredisplay outside. "Oooh!" I think, "OOh! How fantastic would that heinz tomato soup box look in my kitchen/bathroom/bedroom as a recycling box/footstool/vegetable rack??" I get a little closer and see that it costs 20 odd quid, and I quickly scuttle away again. And I think this general rule can be applied to the shop as a whole. It's filled with some absolutely gorgeous things - I was hearily seduced by some dressmaking mannicans, but again was repulsed by the price. Still, it's unfair of me to hold this against them - after all it is an antiques store, and I imagine that it's fair pricing for what it is - just not so fair for my paltry purse strings. Make sure you've got the cash before you have a gander, otherwise you'll just torment yourself.

Antique Cave's clues are in the title - it's the only shop I've ever been into where I've been able…read moreto touch the basement ceiling! Very exciting. If you're six foot tall, expect to slouch. But that's all part of the fun, oui? This shop is mainly for big furniture rather than bric a brac, although there are still some vases and old books dotted around the bookshelves. Today I saw one about Hitler (entitled, would you believe, 'Hitler')...looked like an interesting old histoical but even the cover looked bleak and aggressive so it may be to someone else's tastes! They also had some more favourable drawing room reading of the Jane Austen ilk....love the covers on these old books. They're so elegant. Like I said though, it's mainly chairs, which you get your fill of if you go cave exploring downstairs. There's something to suit many tastes down here, from sofas to wicker chairs, and the prices are fairly reasonable considering the good condition of the stock. Upstairs you can usually find some lovely mirrors with gilded frames and the odd painting or print in the room at the back. But the best stock resides outside on sunnier days so if you spy something that tickles your fancy, you'll need to be quick to snaffle up the stuff showcased here. The owners are quite helpful if you're looking for anything in particular.

As the name suggests this place really is a cave of antiques and to be honest i would recommend…read morethat you bring the proper tools for the job if you intend to make the best of your visit.....head torch, climbing rope, canary and edible provisions would be a good idea. Joking aside...yes that was intended to be a joke.....this is a real treasure trove of the old and furniture type variety... Labyrinth like in its interior you really could loose a couple of days in here in search of a wee side table, coat rack, umbrella stand or whatever else it is that you hunt for in these places. Priced just a wee bit on the "well i never"side, this is definitely worth a nod if your on the hunt for old and slightly quirky furniture.

Fantastic Place not too many places around like This A place to find most Collectables etc I have…read moreknown owner & staff for many years In fact it's like a Giant Magnet for everyone long may it last.

Legends has it you do not fully qualify for your West End passport unless at least one item of your…read morehouse comes from Relics. Now, where do I begin with this place? Well on my last visit, a lampshade emblazoned with "Harp Lager" was sitting on top of a Beano album. A school bag, and by that I mean a bag with an actual school's name printed on it, was balancing on some fairly expensive looking china and a Scottish Premier League football album was nestled inbetween. In other words, this is where you get everything and anything. Ordered, this shop is not. But Westenders tend to love its ramshackle appearance and revel in scouring through the heaps of, to my untrained eye at least, junk in search of a bargain. I guess it's an acquired taste. For me, I like my shops to be simple and have price tags. I guess I'll just have to make do with my temporary West End visa for the time being.

This place is massive! It's sells all sorts of things not just antiques - second hand furniture,…read morerestored items, new mirrors, light fittings, reclaimed fireplaces, jewellery, art work..... It's basically a big warehouse with lots and lots of sellers with their own area to display and sell their goods. If you are looking for a large item of furniture, such as a wardrobe, table or sideboard, then it's worth popping in for a look to see if you can get a great piece for less than you might pay for a new one. Equally of you just fancy a browse you will happily bear to spend an hour having a wander. Most vendors only take cash though but there is a free withdrawal cash machine the next street over.

It took me a while to visit the Glasgow City antiques centre, on my next day off I made a plan to…read morehead there to see what there was. This building is crammed full of old and new items but sadly Is like a crystal maze to try and get to the other end, most sellers only take cash that's if you could find the seller in the first place, as they all seem to open later in the day. I'm sure there are bargains to be had here, but I did see quite a few over priced items.