I really like this store and have popped in a few times. It is the perfect places to pick up…read moreaccessories for fancy dress costumes, or merely for accessories alone. I have purchased a few scarves and bags for various fancy dress outfits that I have worn to parties. The staff are quite friendly inside and have been helpful when I have been looking for something in particular. The store is in a bit of a jumble and I have found it hard to locate items on some occasions, however I always eventually find what I need. They also keep quite a lot of stock in boxes outside the front of the store, so I have often spent time rooting around trying to find stuff. I do not like this aspect of the store; I would prefer it all to be easy to find and well organised. It is a great store, but it is a bit disorganised.

Shops like this make your local high street the place to check out on a saturday morning. The floor…read moreto ceiling jam packed-ness of fun always amazes me. If you are in need of some cheap tat as a present, for a project or require something for a fancy dress outfit then you will no doubt find it here. Who needs expensive fancy dress shops or paying for shipping off a website when you can buy inflatable props from here? Love it, a great little shop full of things to mooch in and to spend money on stuff you either didn't know you needed or had forgotten you needed as you never spot it in the supermarket.

Blue Banana moved from it's former home in the Pallasades Centre last year. When it first popped up…read morea few years ago, I let out a huge sigh of relief. Birmingham is the home of metal, and as such has a wide and varied alternative scene who obviously need a good piercers and clothing emporium. Blue Banana delivers this service with gusto! Stocking a large range with everything from your skater hoodies, retro inspired dresses to the useful band themed wallets with large chains (great for making sure you don't lose your money in a mosh pit); it's a small shop that offers a comprehensive range of stock. It's just a shame they don't have more "out there makes" (like some of the Industrial/Cyber clothing names), but they do stock plenty of "Hell Bunny", "Poizon Industries" and skater clothing makes. As well as clothing, it also does body piercing. It regularly has offers (for those "spur of the moment" piercing decisions) from as little as £10. Obviously, this has exclusions, but it's good to know there is a place in the heart of the City (on New Street) which offers this service. The staff are always friendly and helpful. When the new store opened, they had a bit of a mega sale. All dresses, £10 you say? Yes Please. For the life of me, I couldn't find a particular dress I wanted in my size - but the lovely ladies of Blue Banana scoured the shop floor and located what I wanted in record time. With this prime location, it's definitely worth a visit. Being 2 minutes walk from New Street train station and on the main shopping street in Birmingham, if you just have 5 minutes; have a little look around. They also stock plenty of Marvel and quirky themed gifts (mugs and accessories), so a good little place to look for Birthday presents. In summary, I would like MORE varied stock (like goth boots); but they are doing a bang up job catering for the discerning alternative crowd in Birmingham.

I had my very first tattoo today at Blue Banana and I did not leave disappointed. I went with two…read morefriends who also had tattoos done, however as a newbie I was quite nervous and apprehensive about it, but Darren (tattooist) made me feel relaxed and secured as soon as I walked in. He has a lot of experience and he was very attentive and funny. He helped me out with my tattoo idea, and I could not have asked for more. Thank You and keep up the great work!

Cut Price Discount Stores is an unpresuming Aladdin's Cave of bargains! This independently run…read morestore is situated directly opposite Aldi Supermarket on Bristol Road, Northfield Town Centre. The inside of the shop is nothing fancy time looks as though it has stood still here for a long time. However, the shop is packed with nearly every conceivable household item you could imagine (excluding furniture and appliances). If you are familiar with Latif and Sons in Birmingham City Centre, think of this shop of a condensed version of the same type of store. Another way of describing it is as 'Northfield's General Store' - everything from kitchenware, cleaning products, garden, diy, computer and automotive accessories are in stock at very reasonable prices. I managed to buy a bunch of last minute Christmas presents here this last year and I had never thought a shop on Northfield could offer such choice, quality and value. The couple who run the shop are lovely too; very friendly. Also, If there is something you are after and they don't stock it, they are happy to source it for you. Often I have bought items from larger stores and supermarkets only to find the same products sold here at a cheaper price. I now usually pop in and check here first if I am after something in particular before shopping around It saves the disappointment! Definitely recommended, especially if you are setting up home and need a local, independent shop to buy the basics!

S & J Jewellery doesn't advertise itself very well from the outside, and looks like a generic…read morejewellery shop; When in fact, inside, there's many other items that would attract a wide range of customers. I also think the name isn't catch enough, especially for the variety of products sold inside. Throughout the store, you'll find many spiritualist gifts such as precious stones, necklaces, tarot cards amongst crystals, fairy models and other gothic items too. You'd never expect a jewellery shop with such a standard name and fascia to be selling these items; so if you do consider yourself a bit of a spiritualist, and if you're in the Northfield area, it is definitely worth checking out! There's also standard jewellery sold in here (which I'm not really that knowledgeable about), but i'm sure girls would benefit from mooching around at some unique items, that I've never really noticed in chain stores. The shop also does jewellery alterations as well.

Northfield isn't home to the most swankiest of shopping centres, but it is a great place to go for…read morelocals and visitors alike, who are wanting to explore more unique shops. But don't get me wrong, the centre still boasts a large collection of big stores such as Poundland, WHSmith and Iceland, which are all greatly needed for the Northfield locals. It means that they don't have to travel elsewhere for their necessities. The overall aesthetics of Northfield's precinct are very outdated and generic, however, the actual shops themselves are varied when compared to the usual shopping centres of Brum. It's the independent shops that make the centre different, and there's a great collection of clothes stores for all ages and genders, from the men's shop Little Italy, to the girl's clothes accessories shop Miss Bizybody. I was quite surprised at the actual size of the centre, and expected it to be much smaller for the area (considering that there's quite a few shops on the Bristol Road outside as it is.) The centre is a great find, and is definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

Ok this is not the best shopping centre in the world or the most exclusive, but I like it due to…read moreall the cheap bargains you can get here!. For me it is not the best place to go clothes shopping but it is great for Poundland, Superdrug, Peacocks, Iceland, WH Smith amongst many more. They also have clean toilets which is more than some shopping centres have. It was recently been refurbished also..

Dear Pat at ACE PARTY SHOP Thank you SO much for arranging…read morethe beautiful balloons for my sister's 60th Birthday at the Cote Brasserie on 5th November 2015 at such short notice. I went into the shop to see whether I could buy some balloons to take with me but I wanted it to be a surpise for my sister. Pat advised which balloons to have, and arranged to have them delivered to the venue a few hours later and within 10 mins, it was all organised, paid for etc. When we got to the restaurant, the table looked beautiful with the balloons. So thank you so much ACE PARTY SHOP for coming to my aid! I felt I had left it late to organise this but you made it happen! Definitely be back.

Ace Party is pretty hard to miss as you travel down the Bristol Road South, partly because it's…read morebright facade is out of keeping with many of the businesses neighbouring it, partly because it's the only party supplies shop in the immediate vicinity, and partly because when I visited, they had a giant inflatable England footballer guarding the door (not a bad advertisement given that Euro 2012 has just begun). Rather than being a cheap gimmick, this inflatable player was demonstrating just one of the many party services supplied by Ace Party. They don't just limit themselves to the usual balloons, hats, and napkins, but instead really do service any children's birthday party request, hiring out giant inflatables, bouncy castles, and doing more specialist party items such as giant balloons. The one occasion I've had to buy something from Ace Party it was a helium balloon (with a unicorn on it, for those so enthralled in this narrative that they must know all the details) which came in at £7, which I initially felt was quite steep. However, two weeks later when the unicorn was still casually gliding around the room rather than being slumped in a corner, I figured it was money well spent.

Noah's Ark is a very friendly local Pet shop which sells everything from pet food, accessories and…read moresupplies to actual Pets ranging from lizards to Goldfish, as well as a range of fishing tackle and accessories. I've been visiting Noah's Ark since I was a teenager and enjoy supporting local stores where the staff make you feel welcome. As such, I will happily go out of my way to shop here thanks to the exceptionally friendly service you receive from the owner and staff. This is a traditional local store, so don't expect the range and volume of supplies you may in some chain Pet stores, but they usually have what you need and the friendly service always leaves a smile on the face! Well worth a visit!

Noah's Ark Aquatic & Pet Centre is a small local pet shop that specialises not only in a small…read morerange of animals to purchase, but also various fishing equipment, including rods, tackles, and live bait. Quite why Noah would feel the need to go fishing (given that he's got two of every species of animal on the boat with him, you think he'd struggle to find time), but given that he's evidently taken up the pastime, he could do a lot worse than visiting his namesake's store. The prices are extremely reasonable (around £30 for a good quality rod which will last you more than a couple of seasons) and the staff are friendly and helpful in giving advice, both on animals and the fishing equipment, even if you've made it clear that you're not looking to buy there and then. Additionally, make an purchase of over £10 and any local delivery is free.