Starway Stationers is a good old fashioned stationery shop: it sells anything and everything you…read morecould possibly want in the stationery line, from single envelopes through to embossed papers. It's definitely not a fancy place, but its somehow quite comforting to know that buried under the children's scrapbooks you can find paper suitable for the fanciest occasions, along with the pens appropriate for each. They also sell mags here, including some that you probably wouldn't find in other newsagents, like all those ones pertaining to specific hobbies that you can collect up and put in custom designed folders. I might get into needlework just so I can buy these. Finally, they also have a post office service here, although be warned it's not a full one, so you can't pay bills or get car regos here, but can send parcels and the like.

A combined post office and bank, great idea New Zealand! I appreciate this particular bank/post…read moreoffice not just because of its usefulness but also because of the great staff - these guys are very friendly, professional and patient. I have seen them handle the difficult customers trying to pick a fight really well. Several members of the team had to get involved once and they were all kind, but firm. They also really know their stuff! - I have gone in with various questions related to financial legalities, packaging quotes and various other things and each team member has been able to help me out. They is also a regular busker with his dog out the front, I like buskers...

I bet every other bank chain is gutted they can't have a post shop as well as a bank in the same…read moreplace. This is Kiwibank's biggest drawcard, in my honest opinion. Now, I'm not a Kiwibank customer, but I come to the post office a lot as I do a lot of mailing, and to register the car etc. The New Lynn branch of the Post Office is great. The staff are pleasant and always helpful when figuring out what packaging to get with what item and how to make it as cheap as possible. The only thing is it can get pretty busy because of its location, so I've found my self waiting in line for quite a while on more than one occasion, but I guess some people have lots of stuff they have sort out.

The Hollywood Dairy has been part of Balmoral's culture for as long as I can remember. A family-run…read morebusiness, this is a really well-stocked and organised convenience store that is guaranteed to have the latest new ice block/chocolate bar the kids want to try. You can also get your usual stuff - bread, milk, even butter and sour cream, and the freezer is well stocked with a range of gourmet frozen foods. Down the back of the shop is a fully functional post shop that also sells a good range of stationery and office supplies. The best thing about the Hollywood dairy is its community feel - you are guaranteed a friendly face and warm greeting every time you visit.

It's a hard road smoking cigarettes these days. You can't even see what your buying , let alone…read morechoose between a range of different prices. Hollywood Dairy used to have an impressive behind counter display of tobacco and cigars, but now it is all covered up with a blank wall of metal. I'm sure the lack of the tempting display possibly does stop kids wanting to try smoking, but it really is annoying not being able to browse. However, Hollywood Dairy understand. The owner knows what a kick to the pocket buying them is, and always updates me on which one is the cheapest. They also sell ... pretty much everything. It used to be a post office, so they have all that kind of stuff under wraps, as well as the usual dairy supplies.

''twas a couple of nights before Christmas and I was stressed out because my mother had sent my…read moreChristmas presents up by courier but due to the inner city problem of apartment living I couldn't just get my packages delivered straight to my house, oh no that would just be too simple! The kind people at the post shop here really helped me out, by suggesting an easier option of having it delivered to the post shop itself and I would collect it from there. The post shop not being far from my place, I was happy. The lady I talked too once I got there was so helpful, and found my parcels quick smart. She offered me a smile and a seasonal candy cane and I was on my way.

I have convinced my friends to switch banks purely because of the service and the simple handiness…read moreof having a post office at your bank. It's genius. In every one I have been to the staff are always so polite and nice and weirdly calm. Even during the chaotic christmas time when theres lines for miles. I am terrible at posting and postage and postal whatever. They always know what to do. And even more the other day I was so surprised when I went in to do a posting of something picked the packaging ripped it open put my stuff in it took it to the counter and then expected a simple transaction. And the lovely lady actually said to me oh no dear you can actually get a much cheaper option - and went on to show me how to work their products to the best of my value. Who does that! What company wants me to spend less on their products. It was so refreshing to get such lovely service. My local in Titirangi is especially awesome. A lovely older lady and a husband and wife team running it. It is the smallest little spot ever but still brilliant.

As far as combining unrelated services goes, a pharmacy-slash-post-shop is a pretty good mix. The…read moredownside here is only that, this being a less than massive shop, you don't get a huge range of either service, or at least not as much as you would in a larger place - or one that didn't have its attention divided. But this is probably not really an issue. Certainly the few times I've been here they were able to sort me out with whatever I needed, so they have at least the more obvious range of both a pharmacy and a post shop (I've never gone in asking for anything obscure or weird, so I can't say how they'd deal with less common requests). The service here has always been polite and professional, and although I have had to wait in line, it's never been for very long.

I would much rather preffer going to this pharmacy than the larger ones. Much more private and…read morebeats waiting in the other local post shops where the lines are always almost out the door .

We've only got a tiny little Post Shop in Te Atatu South but I always seem to get what I want in…read moreit. That's probably because the Asian woman who works there is very helpful and friendly. I often have to send packages back to Ireland but she helps me with the customs declaration and all the rest. Recently I urgently had to send a fax and was not sure if they did that service there - they did and she made sure it went through. I also needed bubble wrap that day and didn't think a small Post Shop would sell it but alas they did. They have cheap jewellery in the cabinet which I really don't see the point of but I forgive them as otherwise they always help me out. When I lived in the UK, I used to queue for up to twenty minutes at the Post Office in Earls Court. In Te Atatu, I never have to queue at all and it's one of the little perks of living in this awesome country!

This post shop is so small I always forget it is even there. It's nestled in between a takeaway and…read morea laundromat, but there's parking right outside so it's really easy to pull in and drop something off to post if you happen to be driving past, which is why I find this particular post shop handy. I've only ever sent packages here, never done anything else, but they are always helpful and it's never ever busy (seems like no one else remembers it exists either) so you get done what you want to get done quick smart. The store is a bit out of date which is odd since it actually hasn't been here that long, it just needs a spruce up.

Located on Three Lamps, Ponsonby is the only Kiwibank & Post office on Ponsonby Road. They have 2…read morequeues: one for NZ Post and the other for bank transactions. They have a selection of greeting cards, prepaid gift cards and a couple of computers available for customers in the branch. The staff are efficient, however there are normally long wait times! This is my local so I usually tolerate the delays ha! It makes a difference though when they apologise and smile.

This particular branch of the PostShop / Kiwibank deserves a special mention for it's extra…read morefriendly staff. They always take extra time to ensure that you're completely satisfied with the service, rather than rushing your transaction through when there's a queue behind you or it's just before closing time. There are two separate queues, for the Post Office and for Kiwibank, which is great if you just want to deposit some money or make a withdrawal and you can bypass the people posting big parcels. It's conveniently located at the Three Lamps end of Ponsonby Road, with an ATM machine outside. There'll often be a busker located conveniently beside said ATM... so withdrawal with caution or you may be guilt-tripped into parting with your cash sooner than expected!

I always come to this post shop, (my trade me sales go through here) maybe it is because this post…read moreshop is small and in the village but it is so much friendlier than any of the other post shops in central Auckland. The four staff that man this post shop are so helpful too. There is a bit of stationary and greeting cards, that sort of thing and an impressive magazine selection so I usually pick my Vogue and Harpers Bazaar (including the international air shipped titles from here). Best post shop ever.

When I first walked into the Mount Eden Post Shop looking for a birthday card, the first thing I…read moresaw was all the overpriced commercial Hallmark cards opposite the magazines. I thought to myself, "why is it so hard to find a card that is different to all of these soppy as cards 'for her' that are always covered in flowers and birds", but then I fortunately made the good move of going around the corner to the other side of the shop - I found much more tasteful cards that weren't pink or purple and covered in sickly sentimental messages. The Mt Eden Post Shop continued to go up in the ranks when I realised how large the range of magazines they had was; definitely much bigger than your average selection at a lot of other post shops and stationary stores. The guy at the counter was super nice and helpful, which I find is definitely a pleasant surprise at a post shop. Definitely would be a regular if I lived in the area.

Post offices seem to be the bane of most people's lives. It's never a pleasure, the layout, the air…read moreof impatience, the waiting in line - because there's always a line, isn't there? Mount Eden Post Shop is slightly different. Yes, there's sometimes a line, but more often than not there isn't. I think it's because the place is tiny - nobody knows it exists. Come think of it, the establishment is smaller than my bedroom. Cramped yes, but I like to think of it as cosy. What they lack in size they make up for in politeness and sometimes even friendliness - especially towards the regulars (ie. Me).

Greenwood's Paper Power is an agglomeration of stationary store, post office, book store and toy…read morestore. Basically it's a local, more expensive version of your Whitcoulls or Paper Plus, except they sell Lotto. The same jigsaw puzzles have faded in the windows for years; the same sale books wheeled out each morning. It is placed in a very handy location for local residents put the service is quite unhelpful. The staff very begrudgingly gave piecemeal information about sending money overseas to an older gentleman while I struggled through a form on their counter the last time I was there. Good for a last minute card or to pick up that envelope you needed because you didn't take one from work because nobody stocks envelopes at home anymore.

This is a great Stationers, with many facilities like NZ Post, Lotto, Stationery, Toys and Gifts,…read moreWestern Union, Passport Photos etc. Staff are always super friendly and helpful and the prices are very reasonable. Very often their prices are cheaper than Paper Plus and Whitcoulls. It's in a great location with loads of parking. I've been a customer for years and that won't change any time soon.