Debenhams is one of your typical lower-end department stores, which certainly isn't as high-end as…read moreSelfridges, Harrods and House of Fraser for example, but still slightly nicer and more higher-end than TKmaxx, as I'm aware other than Harrods they all have stores in Birmingham city center. Debenhams are still a large store with 178 stores in The UK, Ireland and Denmark and were founded back in 1778. This branch of Debenhams is located in the Bullring mall, with enterences from both street and mall level, it is a decent sized store too. The lifts here were pretty slow, and they didn't show much signal of it working, and although it was, I didn't know it was in use, so I nearly just walked away, which was disappointing It is quite a large store with a Brow Bar, Salon and Cafe and quite a few floors as well. I didn't have any close encounters with staff to comment on, they seemed okay, just average. The signposts for what is on which floor in the store could be better advertised, this store is okay but it is nothing more than that, the building its-self isn't as nice as other department stores mentioned, and in a way it has a less high-end feel, which makes it a little less special in a way, especially to tourists and potential shoppers.

Debenhams used to be one of my favourite stores as it houses everything but lately I haven't really…read moreour purchased many things as often as I used to. Last month I came in as I had a 5% off voucher on multiple purchases so I bought underwear on one floor, then on another day some clothes for a wedding. When I got home I inspected the receipt and worked out though it said 5% off, nothing was actually deducted! I took one dress back as I didn't wear it for a wedding and mentioned there was nothing deducted! She said it's not on all concessions ... Something the other two cashiers didn't say when scanning the clothes! I've given them four stars as I do go to the beauty department to buy skin and hair care. I do ask for samples and majority will give them .., more so with a purchase! I like to walk away with something extra!! Lol They have a beauty points card which is useful and worth collecting points. You get money off when you earn enough.

Selfridges is still one of the most iconic buildings in Birmingham, it has managed to stay ahead of…read morethe times since being built as part of the bullring when it launched. It still remains my favourite department store in the city and stocks everything you could want from amazing food and drink through to homeware, fashion and cosmetics. The highlight for me is the food hall on the ground floor, I think you would be hard pushed to find anywhere with the diversity and range of things you can try and buy in one place. I could easily spend a whole afternoon looking at the many weird and wonderful items that fill every countertop and display cabinet in the open and modern feeling space. One thing to note is that this place only stocks the very best of everything they sell, so don't go here expecting the cheapest products in Brum. However you can get a bargain from time to time in the many sales they put on throughout the year. In my opinion Selfridges keep pushing the boundary in terms of what people expect from a department store. Forward thinking, well designed and and always changing to keep thing fresh!

Big shop, excellent range, superb quality! Special kudos for the ground floor…read more I wish I had a lot more money so i could come and shop here more often!

Birmingham has so many large, impressive, modern, stunning department stores and is actually one of…read morethe few cities to have the 6 major British department stores (Selfridges, John Lewis, Harvey Nichols, Debenhams, Marks and Spencer and of course HOF), alongside the likes of London and Manchester, although the latter does not have all six in the city centre. I did find this store to be a little old and uninspiring - it just seemed to lack in terms of overall feel compared to the three newer department stores in the city: John Lewis, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. The staff didn't seem too friendly either, I also found getting in and out of the store to also summarise the store being pretty old. Again, the product selection is OK in the store and there are some decent brands, but this certainly can't compare to Selfridges in the Bullring in particular. It is certainly in need of the proposed revamp of over £100 million which has been suggested just to bring it in line with the other department stores in the city as this store just can't compare to them. 2*

What a disappointment! I used to frequent Rackhams, as it used to be, and it was always an…read moreenjoyable experience when i used to work in Birmingham, if expensive. With such good memories, I made the 60 mile journey with my daughter to buy a prom dress at House of Fraser. The lack of stock was fairly shocking, but the lack of any staff at tills or willing to serve even when we stood at one while two staff members had a chat a short distance away was worse. The 'luxury washrooms' were in a shocking state. I'll let the photos speak for themselves. Really sad to see this store has plummeted to the depths. A sorry experience.

A unique concept Harvey Nichols store located in Birmingham's The Mailbox complex - Birmingham is a…read morecity with some fantastic department stores including a Selfridges store which is probably even better than their flagship London - Oxford Street location, but perhaps one of the unsung heroes of the Birmingham department store game is this one. Located over multiple floors, the store is spacious, it feels modern and cool like it has recently been refurbished. They have a nice food selection including a bar and brasserie with a decent menu, although it is a little expensive this has to be expected to a degree as it is more of a high-end store. I do feel to match the high-end nature of the place, the staff could have stood out more and perhaps they could have had more staff members in all areas of the store as coming in on a higher level can sometimes leave someone confused or getting lost, but the store, in general, is pretty decent to navigate for the key areas which are labelled anyway. One of my favourite Harvey Nichol's stores with good facilities and a good location, it stands out also due to its' modern features - but issues with the layout and service hold it back to just a four-star rating and a pretty awesome place to mark my 500th review of 2019.

High end shopping at its finest with what looks like a beautiful setting to eat and drink. Harvey…read moreNichols Birmingham is a shop/restaurant that oozes luxury. This is not a place that I would consider to be 'very me' but after looking around I would be tempted to go and eat here. I hear good things about the food and most importantly hear that there are always good discounts on groupon and other discount site. Ling....(Yelp Discount Queen) if you hear of any maybe we should pay this place a visit ;) I literally loved some of the spring/summer looks on the mannequins. There was a heavily patterned bomber jacket that I would consider not going out for a month to own.......pricy but a lot of the stuff is SO nice that you could be persuaded to part with a large proportion of your monthly wage to own them.....the temptation was real haha. Even though I will not be rushing back here I love that Birmingham caters to the people that want ultra high end and cutting edge brands. Maybe one day one of those jackets will be mine.......one day!

I have been shopping here for many years, and it has changed a lot. It has many of the big names…read moresuch as Boots, Beatties, M&S, Argos, Woolworths, WHSmith etc, and there are places to eat and drink like McDonalds, Costa coffee and Subway. The main parade area is pedestrianised, and they often have a farmers market and arts & crafts stalls on the main shopping street. At Christmas there is an impressive Santa`s grotto! New additions to Sutton are Aldi & Poundland. At the top of the parade is the historic old Town School building, which is now home to Sutton Baptist church, where on some days you can pop in and get a coffee and baked potatoe!

The Gracechurch Centre or, to give it it's ungrammatical and Americanised modern name: Mall…read moreGracechurch (I know, horrible innit?) is generally unloved among the locals. Built in 1974 by basically wiping out the middle of Sutton and starting again, the Gracechurch has been modified several times but still has the same basic shape. Beneath a sizeable multi-storey car-park, the shopping area is mostly covered and is clean and plenty spacious. A lot of shops come and go but the long-serving stalwarts are House of Fraser (formerly Beatties), WHSmiths, Marks & Spencers and Boots. The other shops are mostly filled with (women's) clothes. Locals often moan that the Gracechurch is full of rubbish shops and not enough local, independent traders. Ironically, whenever a local trader does try their luck, they soon shut down due to lack of custom. Compared to somewhere modern like Touchwood, the Gracechurch isn't great; compared to somewhere like the Saddlers Centre in Walsall, it's great. You can pretty much find everything you need up there or very nearby on the Parade. Back in the day the spaces in the Gracechurch were filled with oversize chess pieces, now there's a more helpful Information Kiosk, lots of benches and a jacket potato stand which has been there for as long as I can remember (and probably longer) and so can't be too bad.

House of Fraser is the ultimate in shopping for anyone who wants to feel they're spending just a…read morebit more than they ought, for the that feeling of decadence and slight wrecklessness. The HoF in the Gracechurch Shopping Centre in Sutton Coldfield is slightly smaller than most, which I really enoyed. Instead of that overwhelming department store feel, the smaller size offered a more relaxed browsing feel, and more easily-located concessions within the store. There is a brow bar and a manicure/pedicure station, offering some of the nicest of each of those services in Sutton. There is also a small cafe offering some nice cakes and sandwiches and hot drinks. The Bay shop in here as well as the Oasis are both rather nice, with great fitting rooms and some very helpful ladies. The jewelry section is small, but offers some very nice, interesting pieces I've not seen in another HoF. I ended up buying some pieces for my honeymoon which I've gotten a lot of compliments on. No matter the time of day, this HoF is never crushed with people, so again, the shopping experience is much more relaxed and less manic than normal.

The former Beatties department store has managed to retain its character and friendliness despite…read morebecoming part of the HoF group. Spaced over three floors, the store offers a compact range of fashion, beauty and homewear. The main reason for my visit once a fortnight is to take advantage of the Benito Brow Bar, which offers a superb service every time.

Beatties is Sutton Coldfields big department store, sells everything from clothes to kids toys!…read moreFair prices to suit Suttons middle and upper class population but quite expensive to everyone elses tastes. Very good quality items for sale, comparable to a John Lewis.

I frequent J Kays on a regular basis and it's one of the best department stores located on Soho Rd…read more They pretty much sell everything in here. Whether your after a new TV, cutlery, a cot, ornaments and vases, bedding, or religious accessories that you may need for the temple, they sell it in here. The prices are not bad, and considering that there is a lot of competition on Soho Rd with similar outlets, this is one of the nicer places to shop. What I particularly like about this shop is they always burn incense on the shelves behind the till, which always creates that welcoming and home feel atmosphere.

Soho Road in Handsworth is full of odd shops that sell a mixture of products under one roof. J Kays…read moreis testament to this. They have a wide range of electrical home appliances, kitchenware, musical instruments, toys, decorations and religious artefacts! They even stock fireworks all year round! As you would expect from the range of products they sell; the store is large and bursting with stock. Their window display gives you a taste of how vibrant their product variety is. It's a family-run business, which is probably why it has an informal and relaxed atmosphere. Their prices vary. Some products are a little dear to what popular High Street stores would offer, although they offer a repair service so you could seek technical support if something goes wrong with your appliance. On the other hand, I bought tall vases for wedding centrepieces for just £3 each, which is a bargain!

Mairs are one of the exceptional stores on Soho Road for that Asian wedding and bridal attire…read more They always display the latest designs and the fashion you can't produce in the UK, they bring all the items over from all over Asia, which includes, India, Singapore and far out east. Popular, and occasionally you will find a great sale on, they also have some nice outfits for men. Certainly take friends and family with you on your visit here. Whatever colours you prefer they sell. I like how they speak lots of languages, and it's more convenient for my mothers generation who knows that she trusts what they're saying about their garments when she can speak to them in her own language. I'd recommend visiting the store, car parking is available nearby, and the shop is served with bus routes regularly from the city and West Bromwich. Quite busy on the weekends though.

This is one shop on Soho Road I like going to and just walking into the shop, I got a sense of…read morethere being a friendly atmosphere about the place. Despite the fact I have not brought anything from here, I have tried one or two sherwanis from Mairs. Just wearing them felt good and the only thing that prevented me from buying them was price. I did ask if they could reduce the price by a small amount but they couldn't. What I will say is that the staff here are very friendly and will help you if you need it. They will happily answer your questions and offer you advice. I did find some sherwanis had way too much embroidery but I guess there are Asians out there that like Indian suits with plenty of sequins/embroidery. If Mairs did lower their prices then maybe I would buy a sherwani from here. As well as Menswear, there are Asian Ladieswear on sale here as well.