There's this bright pink sign catching your attention on Cascades Road, which immediately signals…read morethis is no mechanic shop along a busy industrial district. What a Girl Wants is a second hand store, but packed with top quality bits and pieces. There are bags, clothes, shoes, books, furniture and ornaments, all geared towards the classy women of East Auckland. I thoroughly enjoyed having a browse, and picked up a nice singlet for a whopping $2! It's next to a coffee place and also an antique store, so your vintage tastes can be quenched, along with a nice spot of coffee afterwards. You can just park on the gravel outside, which is really handy. The shop assistant was friendly enough, and the way things are set out is really eye catching. It's awesome to see some creative thought going into the layout of a thrift store, considering most of the time, you have to rummage to find anything particularly useful. Here, it's all on display, in order of size and product. Good stuff.

What a Girl Wants would be a solid four star shop if it weren't for the staff…read more The two times I've been in I've wanted to stay longer, they have some amazing bargains and a very well organised shop, and overall the quality of their stock is excellent. The problem is, the two ladies who work there were very, very loudly talking politics both times I went in. As there's a dance school directly above them, it's fair enough that they need to raise their voices a little to be heard. But maybe don't stand on opposite sides of the shop? Or don't go on loudly about how much you dislike beneficiary bludgers who just sit around all day doing nothing. I mean, you're running a second hand shop, people...perhaps put two and two together and come up with four?

Huge amount of clothes in a big site. Found some dodgy shirts here (dodgy in a good way)... A…read morelittle scared to bring my partner here... I might lose another wardrobe to her clothing.

Came here on Saturday to do some shopping for a baby shower. Was served by a lovely Islander girl…read more Wish I asked her name. I will next time. Great clothing, huge selection and phenomenal customer service. Thank you. I will return :)

This op shop would have to be in my list of top 3! I found out today that they were previously in…read morePonsonby, then K Road, now in Avondale, but looking for new premises again. I hope they don't move too far away where ever they go! The woman behind the counter has always been really friendly, chatty and helpful when I have been in. They have a long rack of children's clothes for those with youngsters, a decent range of men's wear (generally x-large though), lots of women's clothes, books in an organised fashion, some great crockery (I have bought some matching vases) and glassware. The best bit really is that it is the most affordable I have seen in Auckland. Not only do they have a $1 rack out the front with decent enough clothes, but they also have on offer 50C containers of clothes (children's and adults). It offers prices that most of us would expect to pay for second hand. This isn't me being stingy, this is me being practical - these charity second hand shops support the needy and they sell to those of us who struggle to fill a wardrobe with brand new clothes. Keep up the good work guys!

Passing on your old stuff is such a relief, otherwise you'd feel awful to throw it all out when…read morethere's someone out there who may find treasure in your junk. This Salvation Army is big and filled with interesting odds and ends of all kinds. They have a rack where you donate, and then you can scope the place for yourself. Cheap as chips clothes, furniture, ornaments, books, DVDs, costumes, trinkets, paintings and anything else you'd usually find in someone's treasure trove of an attic. This is a fabulous idea, and the folks there are super friendly. They'll even bring a truck to pick up your huge items that don't fit in your car for a small price. A real life saver!

This is a good-sized Salvation Army store and I always get heaps of sweet deals here. I don't know…read morehow this works, but every time I go there I always pay less than what I expect. I think it's because of the random sales they seem to have going on all the time on various items. The best part is they have a $2 clothes rack and I have come across some pretty sweet finds on there. Also you really can't go wrong with two bucks. There's a lot of older-lady style clothes but still heaps of goodies. I like this particular SA because it seems to have a selection of stuff in much better condition than other stores I've been to and the store is always tidy and well laid out. They have quite a good furniture selection and usually a bunch of couches so check out next time you're on a sofa search.

I bought a handbag and after the first use all the material peeled. I took it back and the manager…read morewas extremely rude and kept my money and the bag. Shame maybe you need the $15 more but I will not return.

This is a great little op shop and supports a worthy cause. Aww, warm fuzzies…read more I've picked up some good bargains here including a brand new rice cooker (which from memory was about $10), a really cute pair of handmade wooden bookends, and even a t-shirt for my dog (it really brings out the colour in her eyes). The prices are exceptionally low, and there's a good mix of stock to rummage through, including clothes, shoes, and handbags, books and music, plenty of crockery and other kitchen-y stuff (the requisite small cut crystal items), toys and jewellery. It's always worth a look in to see what's new.

We went here today in search of a desk, and sadly, didn't find one. Well, we did, but it kind of…read morehad a SOLD sticker hanging off it, and when we enquired as to whether it was actually sold (since the sticker looked old and was hanging on by a corner), no one seemed to know, or wanted to find out. We had a look around anyway, and this place is a hipster's paradise. Most of it is genuinely old, and slightly overpriced. I got two sewing patterns for $2 apiece (and they weren't even that great), and other op shops are selling them for around 50 cents each. We also grabbed a couple of spanners for $2 each, and I got some zips and piping for another $2. There is a large section of stuff that isn't secondhand and is brand new, and is extremely expensive. I saw a set of double bed sheets with foxes on them for $214. I know foxes are "in" right now, but seriously. Obviously very much taking advantage of the whole "vintage vibe" that people are loving right now, and good on them I guess, but I was looking for genuinely old, unfashionable secondhand stuff, and of that there just wasn't that much, sadly.

The coolest second hand and collectibles store in Auckland for sure. The mass size of this…read morewarehouse is amazing and full of everything from a Tonka truck for the kid to vintage surfboards that make the man cave look awesome. My first visit to J & D I spent over an hour and a half just wandering back and forth peering at peoples past belongings. I have purchased a beautiful vintage glass cake platter the kind that nana used to have, and a glass perfume spray bottle that opens up and allows you to fill it up with any scent you wish. Prices are not too pricey, so won't break the bank. If you love exploring antique stores give this a try you might find a painting that inspires you, or a vintage lounge suite to redecorate with? Staff are helpful however, usually only one person working the store. Be prepared for cool and cool is what you will get.

I toyed about whether I should write a review on this place or not, mostly because it's one of my…read morelittle secondhand treasure troves and I don't want too many people knowing about it. But good places have a habit of making themselves known, so I'm sure me holding off on a review would do much. This place is massive - it's a warehouse full of cheap, good quality secondhand goods. I generally go for the clothes, so I skip past the homewares and furniture and make a beeline for the back area. On a single trip I have come away with as many as 20 new pieces of clothing, and my average haul is anywhere from five to 10 new pieces. Lots of people in the Eastern suburbs appear to not want their vintage dresses, gorgeous one-piece swimsuits or sweet shorts any more, so now they're mine! I'll also take all their yellow '70s Tupperware off their hands too, thank you very much.

Renoir's is a great place to know about, it sells high-end women's clothing, bags, and shoes on…read morecommission, so it's a good place to buy something special. I've brought things here to be sold in the past and the process was very clear, straight-forward, and I got my items sold. I've also bought things and been happy with the quality. It's not a huge shop but there's plenty in here to look through, and apart from being designer, they don't especially favour one style, making it a kind of something-for-everyone place. The only downside is that the prices are really quite steep - and it's mostly seems to be down to the commission. Fair enough that they need to make a profit, but slightly lower prices would have me snapping things up much more regularly.

The reviews from 2013 might have been accurate for the time…read more But coming to you from 2015, this place is rockin'! Not going to give it the full five stars because it's not the cheapest or nicest looking store around. I expect cheaper prices as the place gets drabby-errrr. But that is by no means a reason not to go, just initially misleading. The place is much more organized than what I read, even has a 16+ section which is nice. Also note, the men's section is microscopic, even considering the smaller sizes of men's sections at charity shops, it's almost overlooked. But for women, it's great. They have a sale rack out side, a $2 rack indoors, 50 cent table, boutique or price-ier items section, intimates and swim separated out and in baskets of different quality and prices: glorious. The selection is wide in style and in size. I found basics I was looking for, like black leggings, and ridiculous cocktail dresses that I would't find anywhere else. The ladies working there were extremely friendly and on top of making sure the people milling about the place got what they needed. They were really nice to one girl shopping there, helping her in the fitting room and encouraging her fashion sense, which, coming from snobby-mall culture, I appreciate. They were having a 30% off day when I went which made everything even more of a bargain than the tag prices. I spent $24 and got a cocktail dress, nice black stylized leggings, a velvet+sheer shirt, two bras and maroon tights. The girl who rung my up was sweet, funny, talked to me about clothes, gave me tips of other charity shops around and was just great. Maybe not 5 star status, but this place is awesome. Should totally be a must on your thrift-list through Auckland.

No doubt a good place to find some good second hand deals, but I personally found the layout of…read morethis store absolutely claustrophobic and dizzying. It was really hard to keep up with sizes and different items of clothing, as it was all very mixed up. They have some more expensive items out the back if you're seeking a discounted ball dress or two. Yet I could find nothing in my size, because I guess the store assistants would rather natter to each other than organize them into appropriate sizes, or colours, or something! It's a sanguine's room in there without the decency of a bed. If you just want a deal, and you don't mind spending countless time sifting through racks and racks of clothes, then great! If you'd like a more efficient experience, perhaps a Cotton On Outlet down the road will do?

Thrift shops can be a little hit and miss, but that's half the fun isn't it!? Call me tinny, but at…read moreNew Beginnings in Takapuna I always seem to HIT. An example of some recent hits.... Hit 1: A Chloe (YES CHLOE) trench coat. It cost me $30 (which yes, is a little steep for an op shop) but my, oh my, this coat is lovely. I wait, with anticipation for someone to stroke my coat and ask where it's from, just so I can explain the story. I'm practically a walking advert for the City Mission Hit 2: A beautiful eggshell blue daisy vase. It has prime position in my kitchen window and I've seen the neighbours giving it jealous stare downs as they pass. Back off - it's mine Hit 3: A flax back pack/bag. No, not like the one you tried to make as a 10 year old. This flax bag is the BOMB. It's secure and makes a perfect gym bag. No more smelly gym gear. I guess because it's a natural, breathable material, even wet towels come out of it smelling fresh. Hit 4: Of course, one of the biggest hits is that all the profits go straight back to the City Mission. It's great organisation and shopping at New Beginnings is perhaps the easiest (and most rewarding) was to support it

Staff were honestly so friendly and found 2 Tommy H. Polo's which were sold for $5!!!! Such a good…read moreprice and they were honestly nice enough I got a 50% off!! I found some Ralph Lauren's and even more famous brands and they were in good condition!! Would honestly highly recommend :)