Reasonably priced mens & women's quality vintage clothing…read more Top Banana and many of the shops on York Road share the ethos of the old-fashioned shop keeper. The staff like to have a natter with the customers, offer them a hot drink if they're having a good mooch and often give discounts if you buy more than one item. There aren't many places to buy quality vintage clothing for men so Top Banana has an edge over most other shops. The focus is mainly American vintage from the 60s-70s and the majority of the stock reflects this, but they have everything from 40s to 90s - you just need to have a good rummage! Fans of converse and vans if you haven't heard of Top Banana where have you been?! They have LOADS and prices range from £15-£25. Prices are very reasonable but don't expect bargain basement prices like £1 etc.. this is quality merchandise which would set you back a pretty penny down south! Grab it while you can before someone else does! While you're here pop next door to Cherry Reds for some yummy food or two doors down to Polar Bear Records,

Vintage gold converse, weathered denim shirts and an abundance of classic pieces from yesteryear -…read moreTop Banana offers something that few clothing stores do these days - and that's authenticity. They have some really nice stuff, some of it I imagine would make you look like Tony Soprano, a 70s mobster or Dirk Diggler. Their range is enormous for a small shop - from vintage varsity, leather and demin jackets to knitwear, polos and an array of slick shirts. All of the items I have bought from Top Banana have a timeless quality about them that only get better with age. With Top Banana you're guaranteed to get some fine clothing for a fair price that even a young Jean-Paul Belmondo would give a nod of approval to.You will leave a (fashion) law unto yourself, swaggering like a don, whistling 'ain't no stopping us now' and ready to share your new-found slickness with the world. At least I did.

They really do have some nice furniture styles from Germany, England, Italy and France. There…read morereally is high end furniture here and it's good for people who like antique and vintage furniture. You might be thinking it sounds pricey? I think everything is priced within reason and when I went there they had a sale on. They even have a small cafe that you can sit in and enjoy a hot drink or a slice of cake. Betel is a charity that aids people with alcohol, drugs and homelessness issues. This is one of the Betel outlets. As part of their aid they give assistance to people by providing skills and jobs to those they help, and particularly in furniture restoration. It's clear that a lot of love and care goes into making and fixing up the furniture. As this is a charity shop, and a quality one, their stock is constantly changing. I've visited on one occasion and found there was nothing to my liking and I've been on another and found there are some things that I really like. You might find the same so don't be put off my one visit.

This place serves two purposes in my mind - coffee shop and vintage/antique furniture…read more The little coffee shop is lovely with a range of coffees (and soya milk) as well as cakes and treats which are suitable for people with dietary requirements. It's not the biggest coffee shop, but it's got a nice little homely / indie charm to it. The furniture all seems to be on the vintage / antique side of things and is on the whole better quality than you find in most charity shops. This does mean that it often feels a little more expensive too. But I've wanted a bureau for a while and despite seeing cheaper ones elsewhere, the ones in this shop felt a better deal as they were more interesting and in good condition. They let me reserve the bureau for 24 hours and when we popped in they helped load it into the car for us. I probably wouldn't buy a lot from here, but for interesting, well maintained one off pieces it's worth a look.

Second Chance is a Charity shop or Thrift Store on the Ladypool Rd,…read moretied into the Church there. Formerly a butchers the shop still has the railes going around the ceiling where the meat was hung which now make convenient hangers for clothings. If you're into digging through Charity shops to find those rare collectors items or iems of vintage clothing, Second Chance might be one that you're not so familair with. I tend to go into Charity shops with three things in mind; clothes, books and the chance that I find something out of the ordinary that catches my eye. In Second Chance I have found some great books and a few decent items of clothing, but as is ever the way, you never know what you're going to find! If you're passing the Ladypool Rd or are a commited Charity shopper intent on routing out that bargain item, Second Chance offers a new opportunity to find that lucky find!

There's not many charity shops in this part of Birmingham, but Second Chance has more to mark it…read moreout as unusual than that. In an era when many charity shops have become, for want of a better word, modernised, Second Chance seems to be stuck in a much earlier decade, possibly sometime in the early eighties. This applies to the look of the place, the products on sale, and the pricing. You get the feeling that Second Chance don't really price their products by referencing internet sites like Ebay as some seem to. Rather what seems to happen is items are priced via a price it cheap and sell it quick ethos. Unlike some of the charity shops in other areas such as Moseley where you might see designer products from time to time, the products could best be described as "curios". If your passing and the above appeals then it's probably worth a look for no other reason than novelty value, and charity shop addicts might want to make a special trip for a dose of genuine character.

Sue Ryder is a charity shop on Kings Heath High Street in Birmingham…read more This is definitely the largest charity shop in the area and one of the biggest ones I've ever been to. Good job really because it's jam-packed full of goodies! Expect to find a large selection of the usual charity shop fare such as videos, CDs, tapes, records, DVDs, clothes, shoes, handbags, ornaments and toys. As if this wasn't reason enough to shop here there is also a large selection of vintage furniture such as tables, chairs, wardrobes, sideboards, cabinets not to mention framed pictures, mirrors, tea sets and crockery. This isn't the cheapest charity shop I've been to but it's by no means expensive. Definitely worth checking out or adding to your normal charity shop run.

This is a fairly new addition to the Kings Heath high street charity shop run. Until fairly…read morerecently it was a Halfords, but like many of the 'brand' outlets on this busy high street this has disappeared. In their place comes a pretty smart Sue Ryder outlet that specialises in mostly in furniture. The furniture is obviously a mishmash of stuff that has been donated, but the staff do a pretty good job of selecting the better and more interesting stuff for display. They also sell a range of musical instruments for kids that are brand new and come direct from the manufacturers so they are mostly half the retail price. There was a half-size electric guitar for sale a few weeks ago for £30 - boxed and brand-new - that normally retails for closer to £60. Well worth a look if you want either of the above, and of course it's all for a good cause!

Did you ever see the compelling documentary 'The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off'? It was a tale of…read morestrength in the face of adversity and how strong the human condition is. It also covered the issue of all of our own mortalities and raised the discussion on euthanasia, it moved me to tears. From the death of the protagonist a charity called Debra was born. DEBRA is the national charity that supports individuals and families affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) - a painful genetic condition which causes the skin to blister and shear at the slightest friction, or even spontaneously. DEBRA focuses its work in three areas: * They fund pioneering research to find effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure for EB. * They provide an enhanced specialist EB Nursing Service, in partnership with the NHS, to deliver optimal healthcare to children and adults living with EB. * They provide social care support to help people live with dignity. This is a service parents and people with EB can call on, to reach out for advice, advocacy in the face of red tape, and emergency grants. Please shop at Debra, it is an incredibly worth cause and this store has a great selection of goods.

This is my usual place to give away unwanted items such as clothing and technology. Don't try and…read moregive your television though, I've tried and they don't accept. This is probably because it's closer to where I live. As well as this, Debra helps people in the UK with a genetic skin blistering condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) from the very first time I walked in the staff have given a warm welcome. This isn't necessarily a place for young generations but it's great if you want to find a bargain. They sell typical charity shop products such as clothes, books, DVDs, board games and if you're really lucky you might find a piece of unwanted designer wear! From speaking to the staff I understand a lot of clothing is simply thrown out because they can't re-sell it, which is a shame. So maybe they can recycle them or the person giving the items away can recycle an item that can't be sold.

Had my unwanted furniture collected today, never heard of the charity before, however now informed…read morethat the charity raise money for children with e.b. I am more than happy and will donate again.

This is a really nice charity shop, I have only popped in once but I was really impressed with the…read moreplace. Inside they have a range of items for sale; the usual trinkets and nik naks, clothes, books and general household bits and bobs. It is well-organised inside and I enjoyed having a look around inside. You never know what you might find in charity shops! I found a couple of books that interested me and they were really cheap as you would expect. The lady who served me was really friendly and asked me if I was having a good day, we exchanged small talk and then I went on my way happy with the books that I had found. The store has a really nice community feel about it and I think that it is worth having a look around if you live in the area.

Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain, Henry Fielding, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner, Virginia Woolf, Feodor…read moreDostoevsky and hundreds of other minds on sale for a cheap price (between 1 and 4 pounds on average). Format- Paper/Hard back. Love a good read, but can't afford the high prices at major retailers? Then why not try Oxfam books for a large range of second hand novels, autobiographies, non-fiction and reference materials. Oxfam books also sells second hand vinyl, I noticed a first edition "Help' by the Beatles for only a fiver when I went in there today. I also bought myself a Will Self novel. I wasn't limited in my choice. If you want to help the third world and have a read at the same time then Oxfam Books is a must for you. I even saw a few sociology text books in here that would have saved me a lot of money when I studied Sociology at University. The condition of the books and records for sale are all very high.

To be honest, I miss my second hand bookshop hunting! When I was living in Santos, São Paulo, I…read moreused to visit plenty of them weekly. Birmingham is bigger than my last address in Brazil, but it seems that all second hand bookshops here disappeared from the high streets. So, bless the charity ones! Especially this Oxfam books on Alcester Road, in Moseley. You kind of expect finding some good bargains but not so many rare and/or brand new titles like they have there. As a language books collector, I didn't resist a Spanish "Teach Yourself" edition in perfect condition that would have cost me four times more if bought anywhere else! The average price of books is around £ 4 pounds and they have a large selection of Arts, Languages and Fiction titles. It's a perfect shop for students because they're going to save money here! You can also find some good cds and records at this place and I have the feeling some rare editions can be found any time there. By the way, I just loved the music played on the background! Nothing like finding the perfect bookshop with a nice soundtrack in Birmingham!