The man behind the counter. Be like that man. His service is second to none. I would drive from the…read moreother side of west Auckland just to be apart of the service he gives. Thank you so much for being so kind and so very helpful and patient with me. I'm a high voltage wired person and he is able to create calm for me. And yes it's so true, nothing is a problem for that lovely man. . From the lady that emails you my labels. TJ from Whitford

First class service by the always cheerful owner. Nothing appears to be too much trouble for him…read more Great selection of cards and stationary.

What a way to run a business!!!! Hoping to buy some supplies for my upcoming art class I rang your…read morenumber several times but all I got was the answerphone, so in the end I left a message asking for the location of the shop. The day later there was a message left on my phone, so on Sat. I made the trip from Pukekohe to Howick only to find the shop closed and no explanation why ,even though the web site still said they were open. The girls in the shop next door said that several people had been enquiring but they had no idea why the shop was closed. Please keep your web-site updated and leave a message on the door. I shan't be making that trip for nothing anytime soon. Joan A

Paints, brushes and canvases galore, Art supplies is filled from top to bottom in the best array of…read morecolours you've seen since that HP Inkjet Printer advert. I'm not much of an artist, but I know good paint when I see it. They also have some great gifts, including face paint, glass and mug painting kits to colour the hours away. If they don't have what you're looking for, then they'll order it for you. Their website is really useful too if you want to take a look at what they have before visiting. It also has some artist tips for those determined to master the talent. Tucked away in the Meadowlands Shopping Centre, you may be travelling out of your way to get there (unless you're a local), but I doubt it will disappoint.

An interesting collection of antique odds and ends, including coins, jewellery, newspaper clippings…read more(there was one about the Titanic when it sunk - we are going back that far!), buttons, metal signs with the infamous Uncle Sam wanting to enlist you in the army, music sheets, ornaments and records. I felt like the things I found the most intriguing were at an affordable price range, which is so rare in antique stores! The shop owner seemed a bit preoccupied with his own thoughts, neither greeting nor asking if anyone wanted help. Perhaps it's boring on a Saturday morning, and he was away with the fairies? Anyway, it's sort of nice to be left to your own devices instead of having someone breathe down your neck in a store like this one. It's a place where dreams are inspired.

Unlike most thrift stores that rely on people's junk fetishes, The Hospice Shop (formerly the…read moreMethodist Op Shop) relies on good quality second hand deals. There were some absolutely lovely shoes here I wish I could fit into. I eventually settled on a wonderful, smart cream jacket, only $18. My friend bought a suede handbag for $15, and the packaging hadn't even been taken out. It's that sort of quality this place specialises in. However, that's the silver lining. The cloud is I found the shop assistants to be distracted and impatient with customers. They seemed friendly enough when you got around to paying, but otherwise they looked at me like I was a thief ready to pounce. (perhaps this happens to them often?) I think a bit more smiles and less malevolent staring is in order.

I always have a good shopping experience when I come here. The staff can be a little sniffy, but…read moreit's worth it because you can find some really nice stuff in here, and the prices are so five years ago. I love that. There's only a small selection of clothing, but it's one of those places where you can find some delicious retro pieces that would be five times the price at an op shop in town. It's also a good place to find handbags in really good condition. They have a good range of jewellery at the counter too, and a lot of books and household odds and end at the back of the shop.

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.

When I was a youngster, there was no bigger punishment than antique shopping, and now that I'm a…read morefree thinking adult, there is no bigger joy than the shopping for classically built furniture or wooden chests. Okay, not the biggest joy, but I like it okay. The Antique Shop in Howick is one of the better antique stores in Auckland, and they stock some of the best furniture and chests you can find in the country. Not cheap by any means, but you can find items here that you simply can't find anywhere else in the world, and even if you can't afford them, it is a great place to meander about.

The Antique Shop is really self-explanatory, but let me divulge to you the treasures I found in…read morethis little cave. Music records made before I was born, Bunnykins merchandise, quaint teacups and saucers, old copies of Charles Dickens and an old-fashioned merry-go-round horse. There were a number of stuffed dear heads and also a deer skull painted an awful golden colour, which makes you wonder if there's a taxidermist somewhere nearby. Not really my thing, but certainly someone enjoys that traditional English hunting decoration for their living room. As always, Antiques come with a hefty price tag, but you get what you pay for. There's a huge collection of jewelry, but the only really interesting thing to me were the brooches. It's so hard finding them these days! Only $20 each - not bad.

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?

In a word? Hankies…read more Hankies for gentlemen. Hankies for ladies. Hankies singularly or in pretty packs. Tucked away in the Howick Village Square, this shop is like a piece of nostalgia wrapped in a bundle of retro. It inspired me to start sending birthday cards with a hanky tucked inside as the present; humble, heartfelt, and deliciously vintage. They also have an excellent range of greeting cards at incredible prices, and a range of books and toys, even some exquisite hand knitted items. The ladies that work there are so sweet, and the proceeds go to charity, so I recommend picking up some extra hankies for yourself while you're at it.