This op shop would have to be in my list of top 3! I found out today that they were previously in…read morePonsonby, then K Road, now in Avondale, but looking for new premises again. I hope they don't move too far away where ever they go! The woman behind the counter has always been really friendly, chatty and helpful when I have been in. They have a long rack of children's clothes for those with youngsters, a decent range of men's wear (generally x-large though), lots of women's clothes, books in an organised fashion, some great crockery (I have bought some matching vases) and glassware. The best bit really is that it is the most affordable I have seen in Auckland. Not only do they have a $1 rack out the front with decent enough clothes, but they also have on offer 50C containers of clothes (children's and adults). It offers prices that most of us would expect to pay for second hand. This isn't me being stingy, this is me being practical - these charity second hand shops support the needy and they sell to those of us who struggle to fill a wardrobe with brand new clothes. Keep up the good work guys!

St Vincent de Paul in Onehunga is the ORIGINAL op shop as far as I'm concerned. Back long long ago…read morewhen I was an awkward 14 year old setting out on my own personal style journey this was where it all began. I still have several items bought back in the late 80s from this very store; they are (I shit you not) family heirlooms I will be passing on to my daughter. Sixties green/red lurex shift with low back featuring a large bow? Yep, I own it and it was mere measly-bucks. In fact I remember this was the place where I got my forest green faux suede belted safari jacket. I LOVED that jacket so much I literally wore it out and have major regrets because when I bought it from here circa 1987 there were several others EXACTLY THE SAME right next to it. I think they were all completely unused stock from some recession-hit 60s groove factory. Oh those were the days. Anyway, these days of course you'll find the people who run these places are much more savvy and the good stuff costs a bit more. Also the word "vintage" was added to fashion-speak and ever since op-shopping just hasn't been as much fun. I do love this place though, but you can't be in a rush - these things take time. Another thing I love is the characters. Trannies, old dears (actually quite a lot of trannies); they all still come here and I love it. I think they even may be the exact same people who were shopping here from the early days. Like me.

The dopest of the dopest. The wrinkliest of the wrinkliest. The dustiest of the dustiest. From the…read moredollar racks to amazing 3 piece 80's business suits, all roads lead to St Vincent de Paul. This massive shop actually used to be two op shops - from competing churches/ parishes. Ah those were the days. What makes me sad though is the vultures who are just there to buy stuff to trademe. I guess it's just another stage in the evolution of second hand shopping. I just try to ignore them because their two dimensional greed can definately ruin a good op shop buzz. Tip for insiders - if you want a 15% discount tell the counter ladies you are a friend of Jesus.

Whoa what a cool store- this store is what I would like my future apartment to look like with it's…read morecool vintage mix and match-ness of random objects and no rhyme or reason organisation that somehow just works. So many cool things to browse- it's like a garage sale combined with an op shop with a high end vintage store housed in a big warehouse. Has kitchen things, furniture, clothing, handy-man DIY knobs and pretty much anything under the sun as well as commercial products. Well worth a look!

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.

This has got to be my favourite place to shop. It's sinister. It's grubby. It's dangerous…read more (seriously you can snag your arm or leg on a dirty old metal thingy and get tetanus) but it's also enticing and exciting. The proprietor is a piece of work. I don't even know what I mean by that. Maybe I mean "a work of art" if that art is alternative, and an acquired taste. Don't go there. Leave all the treasures for me. Take cash!. Don't expect change! Don't expect small talk! Don't expect a friendly smile and warm handshake... but you just never know. PS You know how to haggle, right???

This is a small secondhand shop, packed (and I mean packed) with any kind of junk you can imagine…read more All kinds of electronic equipment, kitchen stuff, megaphones, ladders, blankets, old lightbulbs...the list goes on. Be prepared to pick your way over chairs and sodden blankets, and duck under hanging items to fully explore the shop. The guy working there is a little odd, but quite friendly. I bought a vintage sewing machine there after he let me test it out with an extension lead. As the sign says, there is no eftpos, so be aware.

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?

I'd really rather you didn't know about this Dove Shop. So please, go ahead and read this review,…read moreand then erase all memory of its contents. I think it's for the best. The St Helier's Dove Shop only has stock that's in totally pristine condition. Seriously, you won't find a posher op shop in Auckland. It's really nice and not at all stinky. You can pick up the most amazing stuff here, from men's and women's clothing, to furniture, homewares, kids' clothing, and games. It's not a matter of luck finding something you like, or something in good condition, the only gamble is getting stuff in the right size, so I end up buying something almost every time I visit. Also, the staff are really nice and onviously volunteering for a really great cause - the Eastern Bays Hospice. The prices reflect the quality of the stock here, but they're still extremely reasonable, and hey, it's put to excellent use.

As far as opportunity shops go, I have to say this one in St Heliers is pretty disappointing. Yes,…read morethe stock is probably expensive because of the St Heliers location which is definitely quite an affluent area, however I don't really think the quality of the stock matches the prices you pay. It is very neat and organised all of the time, however I'm not ever really a huge fan of the shop attendants who work here, none are overly pleasant and are definitely not the reason why I keep coming back here. Actually, I'm not quite sure why I keep coming back here - perhaps I have convinced myself that maybe one day I will actually find something I like that is not priced exorbitantly above what it should be. I guess I'll just keep looking then...

This is absolutely my favourite Mercy Hospice shop, mainly because the ladies who work here are…read morejust so lovely which makes a change from the other branches. I recently found out that all the Mercy Hospice shops are run by ex-retail managers and that explains a lot. They should probably try to remember though that they're not in Smith & Caughey now darlings - it's for CHARITY. I recently went to a Mercy Hospice fundraiser and watched people drop tens of thousands of dollars on the auction items so perhaps some of them are a little out of touch with their customers. Just saying. Anyway, the lovlies here greet you, they smile, and always have a bit of a chat about what you've bought. They are still of course pretty adept at spotting the good stuff and it costs a bit more but hey, it's still cheap. I've bought some gorgeous bargain vintage china from here as well as some cool clothes. Often I won't be planning to stop but something in the window or on the rack outside will catch my eye and before I know it, I've speed shopped my way into something old and beautiful and also had a good old yarn about its possible origins. Like I said, you'll pay a bit more for the really special china but that's ok, some things are worth paying a bit more for, especially when it's for CHARITY. Sweet old ladies, sweet place for a bargain.

Very helpful and kind female volunteers at the shop. I have bought a few lovely things from there…read moreat a bargain price and love to visit them from time to time.

The owner is a bit eccentric but is a nice guy. He's given me great deals before and you can find…read moreunique things there like large turtle shells, an adult tricycle, large paintings, mannequins, a dress form, etc. What I buy from him are picture frames, shelves, dolls, ect. His prices are reasonable and if you want a cheaper rate just ask him.

Totally disgusting in here. Randomly closes in the middle of the day, and the person working there…read more(the owner, I assume?) did not even greet me when I walked in. It's dirty and smelly inside, so I couldn't stay for longer than a couple of minutes before gagging. Take your money elsewhere.

You can definitely bag a bargain in this store (as I did) as everything is under $20!…read more First impressions - this store is inundated with (well-loved) clothing for both men and women, with racks clearly labelled with what each collection is. Can be slightly off-putting and overwhelming to most, I would think! I was a styling a photo shoot, so was looking for certain items which I found - denim skirt, lace mid-riff top, leopard-print jacket and bright orange wedges: fantastically kitsch! Service not the best, change rooms had mirrors (fab), also there is a chair positioned by the counter to sit-down if needed, and you can pay by eft pos. If you have some time up your sleeve - you can certainly hunt-and-gather some wonderful finds, for unbeatable value!

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.

For me the Red Cross Op-shop on K'Rd is a symbol of hope. Not trying to get too deep about what the…read moreRed Cross do, I just mean that whenever I go in I'm always hopeful. Red Cross. They'll have what I'm looking for. Or if I'm just browsing, they'll have that unknown gem that's eluded me at all the other places. But I honestly don't think I've ever bought anything from the place. Years of roaming the narrow racks, and I'm yet to actually succeed at finding anything I want. And yet, the next time I'm in town, no doubt I'll be going past and think 'Ooh. Maybe I'll just pop in for a quick look. Maybe this time...' My theory: Everyone else is getting great deals here, and their enthusiasm for it has leaked onto me. So don't let my failures put you off, someone must be scoring some sweet threads from this shop...

It's so easy to walk right past the Red Cross shop on Karangahape Road, because it's really just a…read moredoorway and a sign, but it's totally worth keeping an eye out for it. Now I consider myself to be a pretty brave op-shopper, undeterred by unusual odours and willing to do the hard yards to find the bargains, but entering this shop does put me off slightly - it's a bit like squeezing into the hallway at your mad uncle's house; you never know what you might find, or what condition it'll be in. But, as I've found with most Red Cross shops, it pays dividends to the more intrepid shopper. In any case, everything is so cheap (especially for an op shop in the middle of town), you might as well be brave and shop shop shop for charity.