Kall Kwik may be a familiar name in many city streets but they are franchises (like many McDonalds…read moreas it happens). Perhaps because they are independently owned, the service is fantastic. I've used this Kall Kwik on a number of occasions in the three years I have been in Birmingham and they have been super-efficient and well-priced. I just send email over what I want printed to the exact size and they print it. They always give me an exact quote before so there are never any surprises. They also let me know when they can do the printing by as I am always on a deadline with when I need to get my posters and flyers out for various events. Quite often they print the same or next day but always ask to be sure. They will also send you a proof to check before they print and offer anything from 1 poster to thousands of flyers. Of course there is a discount per item the more you have printed. Very much recommended.

Get a Grip offer a waterbased ink, screenprinting service and its all ran by Sam and Kay. Whilst I…read morehaven't as yet had anything printed by these guys I've seen them in action working with young people to produce screen prints and the fruits of their labour is on display and to buy in their studio at the Custard Factory. The quality of the print work is outstanding and they are super helpful if you have any questions. The list of their print services and options is really comprehensive both on the website or if you pop into the studio. In the studio they have badges made from printing offcuts, sweatshirts and tees with awesome graphics as well as bags and cards. Sadly the prints on the wall for bands you probably love that they've printed up aren't for sale, but they show off the quality of service.

Lovely printed goods - I'm a sucker for a pretty screenprint!…read more They printed some promotional totes for a friend of mine, and the quality was lovely. I popped into the shop last week to see what else they have on sale, and was excited to see they've been collaborating with other local artists - eg. Yellow Door Bindery - to create limited edition runs. Not only do these guys know their stuff (as clearly evidenced all over their website and blog, including how-tos which I LOVE as sometimes artists can be so precious about sharing tips!) but they're also environmentally responsible donating a percentage of their sale to charity. All round good guys - we need more like you!

One of the things I liked about living in the United States was Fed Ex Kinko's. The best print shop…read morein the world. A place where you can print up a twenty metre print of a face that can then be stuck on a wall and called street art. I also used to come here to get A3 prints to promote local music nights. I've been hard pressed to find a decent alternative in this country, that was until I found Printgo. This smallish shop is perfect for all of your printing needs, whether that be a 20,000 word dissertation or an A1 poster; they have pretty much everything you require from a print shop. I came here to print off a 97,000 word manuscript I had written the previous year. They even offered to bind it for me, an offer I declined. The job was done fast and efficiently and I will definitely be coming back here again.

Printigo was very busy when I went in. This, of course, is a good sign. And gives me the chance to…read moresnoop around a bit without being pounced on and asked if I need any help. Primarily, they print T shirts. Your artwork, or design, or with a helping hand from them. Secondarily, they print other assorted clothing. They also do banners, posters, flyers and business cards - which was handy as that was what I was after. However, you'd be a little hard-pressed to know that they do anything other than garment printing as there doesn't seem to be much in the way of advertisement of this service in the shop. However, the staff were pleasant and helpful - although the guy I spoke to had to keep looking everything up when I asked him a question. At least all the info was to hand, however. The business cards are a little pricey, if you're used to good old Vistaprint freebies. That said, they are all laminated, double sided, in colour and individually designed, so fair enough. It was £75 for a pack of 500. They also have a 'no minimum order' policy on garment printing - which seems like a good thing if you just want a one-off.

Delta Pi Delta Pi…read morehas been on Selly Oak high street for yonks and although it has moved to a smaller premises, opposite it's original locale it is still keeping Selly Oak students stocked with stationary supplies. Holding a collection of typewriters just within it's doors, a feature you won't find in every stationary store, and is expressive of Delta Pi's heritage and love of the printed word. Stocking a wide range of stationary and crucially offering a binding service, essential for coursework deadline time Delta Pi is still the dominant stationary store in Selly Oak has no doubt earnt it's position with countless years of service. If you're in need of stationary in the Selly Oak area or just have a thing for old typewriters then Delta Pi is the place for you!

Delta P I on Bristol Road is a shop selling stationery, office equipment and art materials as well…read moreas a range of other products . A recent move of premises across the road has seen them slim down their stock to take the focus away from office equipment and closer to products that might appeal to the local student population. A large display of greetings cards now sits by the window. There is also a range of antique looking typewriters near the door but I've never inquired if these are for sale or not. I'm an avid amateur sketcher and have bought art materials from this shop before. The selection and product quality were similar to what you might expect to find elsewhere but there wasn't anything particularly special about them, nor was the pricing particularly competitive. I'm not an expert about things such as acrylic paints but the selection here seemed to be similar in scope and pricing to that of my drawing materials - the kind of range you'd find in most art shops, priced slightly higher than you might expect. It should also be mentioned that Delta P I offer other services such as binding. I have not tried any of these but wouldn't be particularly worried about purchasing them form Delta P I if the need to do so arose. In conclusion, a store that has the basics well covered, but probably needs to work a bit harder if it ever wants to achieve the "wow" factor.