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?

Huge amount of clothes in a big site. Found some dodgy shirts here (dodgy in a good way)... A…read morelittle scared to bring my partner here... I might lose another wardrobe to her clothing.

Came here on Saturday to do some shopping for a baby shower. Was served by a lovely Islander girl…read more Wish I asked her name. I will next time. Great clothing, huge selection and phenomenal customer service. Thank you. I will return :)

I toyed about whether I should write a review on this place or not, mostly because it's one of my…read morelittle secondhand treasure troves and I don't want too many people knowing about it. But good places have a habit of making themselves known, so I'm sure me holding off on a review would do much. This place is massive - it's a warehouse full of cheap, good quality secondhand goods. I generally go for the clothes, so I skip past the homewares and furniture and make a beeline for the back area. On a single trip I have come away with as many as 20 new pieces of clothing, and my average haul is anywhere from five to 10 new pieces. Lots of people in the Eastern suburbs appear to not want their vintage dresses, gorgeous one-piece swimsuits or sweet shorts any more, so now they're mine! I'll also take all their yellow '70s Tupperware off their hands too, thank you very much.

We went here today in search of a desk, and sadly, didn't find one. Well, we did, but it kind of…read morehad a SOLD sticker hanging off it, and when we enquired as to whether it was actually sold (since the sticker looked old and was hanging on by a corner), no one seemed to know, or wanted to find out. We had a look around anyway, and this place is a hipster's paradise. Most of it is genuinely old, and slightly overpriced. I got two sewing patterns for $2 apiece (and they weren't even that great), and other op shops are selling them for around 50 cents each. We also grabbed a couple of spanners for $2 each, and I got some zips and piping for another $2. There is a large section of stuff that isn't secondhand and is brand new, and is extremely expensive. I saw a set of double bed sheets with foxes on them for $214. I know foxes are "in" right now, but seriously. Obviously very much taking advantage of the whole "vintage vibe" that people are loving right now, and good on them I guess, but I was looking for genuinely old, unfashionable secondhand stuff, and of that there just wasn't that much, sadly.

The coolest second hand and collectibles store in Auckland for sure. The mass size of this…read morewarehouse is amazing and full of everything from a Tonka truck for the kid to vintage surfboards that make the man cave look awesome. My first visit to J & D I spent over an hour and a half just wandering back and forth peering at peoples past belongings. I have purchased a beautiful vintage glass cake platter the kind that nana used to have, and a glass perfume spray bottle that opens up and allows you to fill it up with any scent you wish. Prices are not too pricey, so won't break the bank. If you love exploring antique stores give this a try you might find a painting that inspires you, or a vintage lounge suite to redecorate with? Staff are helpful however, usually only one person working the store. Be prepared for cool and cool is what you will get.

Second Debut has long been a great preloved clothing shop, and happily it was recently taken over…read moreby the very lovely Mary and Harriet, who have given it a new boost of energy. You have to come here next time you're in this part of town. I'd say it's even worth a special trip if you're serious about your preloved clothes shopping, or if you want to have some clothes sold on commission for you. Second Debut focuses on the mid to upper end of preloved clothes - its not all very high end, but you won't find cheap clothes in here. It's more like quality over quantity here. The new owners alos seem to have brought more of a fashion focus to the shop, which is great. Aside from women's clothing, they have a well-edited range of handbags, jewellery, and shoes. I never walk out empty handed!

The reviews from 2013 might have been accurate for the time…read more But coming to you from 2015, this place is rockin'! Not going to give it the full five stars because it's not the cheapest or nicest looking store around. I expect cheaper prices as the place gets drabby-errrr. But that is by no means a reason not to go, just initially misleading. The place is much more organized than what I read, even has a 16+ section which is nice. Also note, the men's section is microscopic, even considering the smaller sizes of men's sections at charity shops, it's almost overlooked. But for women, it's great. They have a sale rack out side, a $2 rack indoors, 50 cent table, boutique or price-ier items section, intimates and swim separated out and in baskets of different quality and prices: glorious. The selection is wide in style and in size. I found basics I was looking for, like black leggings, and ridiculous cocktail dresses that I would't find anywhere else. The ladies working there were extremely friendly and on top of making sure the people milling about the place got what they needed. They were really nice to one girl shopping there, helping her in the fitting room and encouraging her fashion sense, which, coming from snobby-mall culture, I appreciate. They were having a 30% off day when I went which made everything even more of a bargain than the tag prices. I spent $24 and got a cocktail dress, nice black stylized leggings, a velvet+sheer shirt, two bras and maroon tights. The girl who rung my up was sweet, funny, talked to me about clothes, gave me tips of other charity shops around and was just great. Maybe not 5 star status, but this place is awesome. Should totally be a must on your thrift-list through Auckland.

No doubt a good place to find some good second hand deals, but I personally found the layout of…read morethis store absolutely claustrophobic and dizzying. It was really hard to keep up with sizes and different items of clothing, as it was all very mixed up. They have some more expensive items out the back if you're seeking a discounted ball dress or two. Yet I could find nothing in my size, because I guess the store assistants would rather natter to each other than organize them into appropriate sizes, or colours, or something! It's a sanguine's room in there without the decency of a bed. If you just want a deal, and you don't mind spending countless time sifting through racks and racks of clothes, then great! If you'd like a more efficient experience, perhaps a Cotton On Outlet down the road will do?

This place was charming and drew me in with a great window display. And there appeared to be a…read moregreat amount of inventory. Had I had more time, I would have perused the racks. Unfortunately, I was in a rush. But if you're in the neighborhood, check out Tatty's if you have time.

Tatty's really hits the mark between a great mix a secondhand designer gear and other,…read moreless-designer but unique pieces, often from overseas. It's a lovely place to pop in and have a rummage as there always seems to be lots new in, plus they play awesome music. I reckon the best buys are to be had down the back of the store, where there are racks of things squished close together. Perhaps people can't be bothered to shove them aside, or they don't have the upper arm strength, I'm not sure. But it always ends up being where I find the best goodies!

If you want funky fashion thats affordable then this is a place to go.My friend and I walked past…read morehere a few years ago and have been going back to get bits and bobs ever since. Second hand items that are well looked after and well maintained, they have good brands and a good selection. The prices are reasonable and its easy to find some awesome buys. There is an awesome 21dollar rack where you can find some great little deals Bright and light fitting rooms, with loads of space for taking multiple items in with you. The sales staff are lovely and very helpful.

Finally, I've discovered a second-hand clothing boutique actually worthy of the title 'Boutique.'…read moreEncore is everything you want it to be: an absolute treasure trove of used designer clothes, well priced and well ordered. What separates this store from the others such as Recycle Boutique and Finders Keepers is that they actually make it feel boutiquey rather than op-shoppy in there. This means luxurious Laura Ashley-papered walls, funky lighting and spacious changing rooms and staff who can help you pick out outfits and advise you on almost anything in the store. The brands they sell can be anything from Vivienne Westwood to Kiwi favourites Karen Walker and Zambesi, all at massively discounted prices. Of course, you're still going to be paying more for the privilege of owning these items than you'd pay for lesser quality items in a chain store, but what you'll get in return are pieces that will last you a lifetime...or indeed items you'd probably be able to resell again for a tidy profit.

Any vintage or retro lover out there knows that to get the real deals, you've got to leave the…read morecity. To find quality vintage at cut price items can be a chore, but it's made all that more enjoyable if the little places you visit are clean, well laid out and staffed by friendly volunteers; Papatoetoe's hospice shop is all of the above. The shop is often inhabited by a lot of older people who bring clothes in and take more out, I think it's only fair to warn you that there is a large contingent of Miller's shirts in this store... much like there is in many other stores of this nature! The Miller brand isn't always the most desirable pick for a vintage shopper, but if you can dig through the collared nightmares, there are gems to be found. Amazing dresses, skirts and shorts for just a few bucks each. And because it's out of the hipster radius of 10km from the city, there's always plenty of vintage/retro stuff to choose from.

I love nothing better on a lazy Saturday afternoon than trawling through op-shops. I don't know why…read moreas I rarely buy anything, I just find the whole thing therapeutic...and a lot kinder on the wallet than doing the same thing in a mall. However, there's something about Paper Bag Princess that I just don't like. Actually there's a few things, but the main one is the smell. Yes, I know all op-shops have that same aroma but it just feels particularly pungent in here. Thing is, I wouldn't mind so much if the clothes were actually half-decent but they're not. I like how everything is nicely ordered (sections for dresses, sections for short-sleeved shirts etc) and colour blocked, so it's pretty easy to find stuff but every time I've been in here it just feels like there's nothing actually to be found, everything just kind of looks like stuff your nan threw out in 1973.

This is an op shop. That's all there is to say on this one. It's as generic as they come. It sells…read moreclothes. It's pretty hit or miss. I think I've bought one thing from here ever, and I pop in every time I'm on K rd. Something about this place just doesn't quite sit well with me. I don't know what it is. I just don't get the feeling I normally get when I'm trawling through op shops from the Paper Bag Princess. Maybe it's the walls and the lights and the floors. It's all pretty sterile. That's probably it to be honest. It feel like and office or something. I dunno. Maybe it's better for girls.