Hello! When did this wee gem spring up?…read more It's not really wee, and it looks new - I'm guessing it's only been on Cockburn Street under a month. Old Town Context is a refreshing, traditional store on Cockburn Street, steering away from the style of the tourist traps on the Royal Mile to offer alternative gift ideas. They have some old English, French and American advert poster art, cards, stationery, gifts, mugs with pin ups on them, clocks made out of recycled glass drinks bottles - a very eclectic and classy selection. Its inspiration is clearly from bygone era's, and I was very impressed with their postcard range. They also have some cracking cards and original prints with cats on them. These cats are wearing kilts and rugby shifrts, quoting Burns and other Scottish poets within the print. It's a very odd idea but entirely up my alley. Overall a very enjoyable shop for the family. It's difficult to walk out of here without buying anything.

I am glad that my 200th review is on this hidden gem... actually it isn't that hidden, but I have a…read morefeeling that lots of people just walk right on by. In a very different and almost vintage way, it is a souvenir shop. I say that because there were lots of prints, cards, coffee mugs of the city and various British 'things', but they are not the types of souvenirs that you would find in the every single store on the Royal Mile... yeah, you know what I mean. I loved the different prints of the city, my favourite was a very art deco-ish print highlighting the castle in a yellowy-orangish hue against a dark background. They had it as a large print, a card, and a coffee mug. I am now kicking myself that I did not buy it. If you love globes or tin signs, they have loads of them! If you are looking for a different kind of souvenir for someone... or just something for yourself, stop in here because they have some really wonderful items.

Such a cute gift shop. I got some really nice cards and they had a great selection for Scottish…read morechocolate that made great gifts for my family. The cardamon and bramble chocolate was a favourite!

A great little shop for interesting books, journals, cards and stationary…read more Definitely worth a look!

Shipped in less then 5 hours, amazing service and came with a personalised thank you card with…read moresweets xx

From the owner: Our warm & welcoming shop is filled to the brim with beautiful things for you and your home. We…read morehave an eclectic mix of fabulous furniture, homewares & gifts. Full of fabulous finds, beautiful cards & some locally made goodies. We also have Chalk Paint, a gorgeous no fuss furniture paint.

Small but perfectly formed, Curiouser is my favourite shop in Brunsfield because it has an awesome…read moreselection of stationery and cards, really trendy home wear, beautiful jewellery and they even have a framing service, (which I am yet to take advantage of!) I pop in quite often (I have a stationery problem) and I rarely leave empty handed. They're really great for getting in new stock and are fantastic at sourcing cool stuff I've never seen before, which makes it ideal for buying gifts (even for one's self...) This is actually their sister shop, the original shop is called Curious & Curiouser is based at the bottom of Broughton Street and it's just as great!

From the owner: We are an independently run gift and framing shop based in Bruntsfield. We stock a wide range of…read moreproducts including gift cards, art prints, stationery, books, jewellery and homewares. We also offer a comprehensive framing service. You can find our sister store at 93 Broughton Street.

Casablanca is an utterly delightful card shop just off the tourist beaten track in Newington…read more Selling a number of quirky gifts, from old fashioned wind up toys and wooden snakes to gorgeous girly ornaments, there's something for everyone inside. They have some older, refined styles of cards, gift wrap and gifts but a lot of their collection is contemporary and funky. It's fairly big inside so they have room for a lot of stock, and you could lose yourself for a good while in here deciding what you want to buy for a loved one. Personally I loved their tiny candles in porcelain heart candle holders - five for 2 pounds was a steal! They would be great for birthday parties or for dinner soiree's. All in all, it's a lovely shop with lots of variety, and I'm glad the name of the store enticed me in! What's a store like you doing in a place like this? It's bringing a great selection of gifts and quirky collectables to the community of Newington, that's what!

Casablanca is a nice gift shop. Pure and simple. It's not somewhere I would personally come and…read moreshop, other than for presents for others perhaps. But I still appreciate it. Glass ornaments, fridge magnets, wall hangings. It's a pretty eclectic range. Gifts on offer here are usually of better taste (as opposed to tatty), a little pricier and probably geared toward middle aged women. Although this is a generalisation and as Marj points out in her review, there is something in here for everyone, making it very pleasant to browse in. They also sell a nice range of arty gift cards. When I was looking around the owner was having a pleasant conversation with a fellow browser who must have been a complete stranger. Her welcoming and friendly attitude was a nice touch. I expect this is the sort of place that goes out of its way to help.

Best Wishes is another of those alternative, independent gift shops which are very popular in…read moreEdinburgh. It sells all sorts, including artsy cards, funky wrapping paper, jewellery, trinkets, make up, and toys which are all excellent stocking filler gifts or something small to give as a birthday present. The gifts are not the cheapest around but they are good quality and the cards are very original, think Clinton's but actually good. The store is well laid out, making it easy to find what you are looking for which for me is a huge help, seeing as I often get lost in these type of shops, and end up buried under hundreds of little accessories or being attacked by care bears. The owner was exceptionally helpful as well, offering to wrap everything, and was a cheerful person to have a chat to.

Best Wishes has a very understated exterior. The font is that of the kind used on wedding…read moreinvitations - elegant and simple. Inside, there is so much more on offer than the modest fronting may suggest. Nicely decorated and brimming with lots of quirky gifts, it's a great place to pick up some presents. Selling bags with Tunnocks Teacakes on them (amongst other Scottish icons) there is something in here for tourists as much as there is for local shoppers. It's big, airy and modern inside, the staff are very accomodating but most of all, there are mountains upon mountains of card, wrap, trinkets, jewellery and other such snazzy prezzies. If I stayed local this would be my only stop for birthday and Christmas presents for le familie.

This place has everything you could every dream of. If I had al day, I would spend it in here…read more they have the coolest stuff, from a hand-chandelier to novelty office stuff. The shop itself is really quite small, but I've never been in with more than one other person so you don't really notice the size. They have the best and most amazing selection of greeting cards I've ever seen. Some are really lovely and pretty and some are just hilarious. I understand the point that you can't really buy silly stuff for yourself...but why not! I live for this stuff. Nobody every buys it for me because they think I've already got most of it, because I love it so much. If I have a birthday coming up I'l go straight here. Also they have a really great website!

Present is a very cool place to buy presents, and a very cool place to treat yourself to some…read moregadgets. Stocking a number of gizmos that you never knew you needed until you spotted them in here, Present inspires you to buy some really cool designs. From their Love/Hate chintzy mugs, Doodle on a Photoframe gift and the shoulder bags with X Ray prints on them, Present stocks some really bizarre, bad ass accessories. Most of the items in this store are quite unique and can't be lumped into the one category. I guess I would describe it as urban chic - a little like Urban Outfitters, but much more unusual. I especially love their wacky jewellery that lionizes dogs, or is just plain beautiful, like their plastic heart necklaces. It's also nice to find somewhere in the UK that stocks the Gamma-Go range. There are so many great gift ideas contained in these four walls, and Present stocks the most innovative, creative gifts you could imagine. I only stumbled upon this place a few days ago but am now going to be a regular. The only thing is, I can't really see me actually buying presents in here - I'll be too busy spending a lot of sweet money on myself!

Hatches, Matches and Dispatches is very much in fitting with the elite of Bruntsfield's finest…read morestores. A showcase to stationery designer Jeffrey Gardner, it would be my first stop for personalised invitations if I had a wedding or Christening to plan. It is very much aimed at this market, with gorgeous, pretty and tasteful cards and notebooks to be found across the store. It also doubles up as a stockist of Steiff bears, which are the creme de la creme of teddies amongst collectors. This range, teamed with with dainty, ornate stationary, gives the shop an air of innocence, like the days of Winnie the Pooh and friends. It's got that twee vibe, but in a good way. Classic would be the best way to describe it. Although I would say this shop's forte is suppling specialised stationery for momentous occasions, it's worth a look if you're just browsing for an elegant gift.

Hatches, Matches and Dispatches is one of the best little shops in Bruntsfield, with its unique…read morestock and quaint shop. They sell handmade stationary and gorgeous gifts which are different from those which you would normally come across. This store stocks the stationary designs of Jeffrey Gardner, which includes beautiful writing paper and personalised notes. My favourite aspect of Hatches, Matches and Dispatches is the lovely Steiff Bear Collection which they have available. With the little yellow tags which the bears have in their ears, it is easy to recognise a Steiff bear, and although they are a rather pricey, they are absolutely gorgeous and this store sells a huge range of different bear designs including Winnie the Pooh, Rupert the Bear and Panda's. My dad bought me a Steiff bear from Hatches, Matches and Dispatches a few years which is gorgeous and currently sits on my desk! Hatches, Matches and Dispatches is the perfect little shop to pop into to buy cards, stationary or gifts for someone which are of excellent quality. They frequently have sales of their stock which is a great chance to grab a bargain gift.

Bruntsfield is spoiled for choice when it comes to quaint little shops selling unique gifts and…read morecards. This shop stocks some really fun, unique cards and wrapping paper to go perfectly with the gifts you will inevitably buy in here. I found some cute little Winnie the Pooh letters in here for my nephews room at the bargain price of £2! As soon as you enter the shop you are hit with an amazing aroma of different fruits and spices- coming from their huge selection of candles. There is a great selection of notebooks, recipe journals and travel organisers as well as some really cute kitchen bits and bobs. Everyone's Designs is a really lovely shop, the kind of place your mum or gran would have a great time shopping in.

What a quaint little gift shop!…read more Everyone's Designs is a lovely card and gift shop in the centre of the Bruntsfield area of Edinburgh and just a short walk from the city centre so it is an easy place to get to. They stock a huge selection of cards suitable for every conceivable situation so you will be completely spoilt for choice. Everyone's Designs also has an array of little gifts and presents, such as candles, ornaments and cute kitchen utensils. Although most of the stock in this gift shop is mostly girl orientated, they also sell a gorgeous range of stationary, including notebooks and journals which would be an ideal present for a man. Everyone's Designs is in keeping with the rest of the up market stores in the Bruntsfield area so you know that what will purchase in this store will be of excellent quality. Most of the gifts are very reasonably priced, with cards priced at around two pounds. Every time I walk past this shop I have to on, even if it is just to browse and smell the wonderful flavours of the candles.

I know it's a little bit late buying diaries for 2010 now but that's exactly what I did on my visit…read moreto Paperchase yesterday, they had all their diaries of all sizes reduced to only £1! Now I just can't resist a bargain so I bought myself a pretty 2010 organiser that will come in handy for my new term at Uni and will keep me on the right track for my dissertation work. I also purchased another diary reduced to £1 from £10 and it has plenty of space for writing so I'm sure I'll be able to fill it no problem with inane ramblings and doodles. I also bought my mum a birthday card which is shaped like an no.5 Chanel perfume bottle and was very reasonably priced at £2.50, I also got a couple of graduation cards for my friends who will be joining the real world in a matter of weeks. This store is quite deceptive as it looks really small from the outside but it's absolutely massive and no matter what kind of stationary you're looking for it is more than certainly here. The staff are really friendly and I was easily here for a good 50 minutes getting lost in all the stationary but nobody seemed to bothered and I felt relaxed just taking my time to browse.

Paperchase is great for picking up cards, gift wrap and stationery when you perhaps want something…read morea little different than the usual. The store feels quite stylish and the stock definitley has that sort of hip/trendy feel. It can be a little expensive, but you are paying for nicer designs and better quality. I bought a gorgeous Wedding Album in here as a gift as well as some beautiful photo frames. I also picked up some great Christmas decorations in their January sale at a very reasonable price. I always buy my notebook and pens for uni here, probably not the best way to spend my student loan but I do like the designs. Also when I ran an event I picked up some great art supplies here for posters and decorations, and received some student discount. I bought a laptop bag here in one of the quirky designs (I think it was around £12), and after a few weeks the strap broke. I returned it without the receipt and the staff were so helpful and apologetic. The bag was out of stock but they let me choose another one, no problems. I was chuffed at the good customer service here. I always find myself going in for a browse when I walk along George Street, definitely one of my favourite shops.