Model Zone is a geek's heaven, situated within St. Johns market this is the kind of place where…read moreyour typical nerd can go and spend the day marvelling at the products within. There is nothing at all wrong with this but it just so happens that I am more of a games console man and as such I didn't really understand the fervour surrounding these types of products. This place as the name suggests sells models for war craft games and other related activities and to be fair the range of produce is quite astonishing. As well as this the quality of the products is fantastic and there is much attention to detail here. I was also very impressed with the staff who worked hard to help out each and every customer so they get much kudos for customer service. On the whole a well run establishment which does its best to draw you in to its slightly nerdy world and if we are honest there is a bit of a geek within all of us.

I've never made a model of anything before I don't think, but we used to come here a fair bit when…read moremy brother was a toddler because they had loads of cool trains and cars and he was interested in collecting them. Then, as he grew up and became interested in the RAF, the family would generally call in here if at a loss for presents at Christmas or birthdays, and get him a model aeroplane set. This is quite a fascinating shop if you like geeky things (or at least appreciate them, like me). You can get all the Thomas the Tank Engine trains from here, you can get Meccano sets and Scalextric and even Star Wars, Star Trek and Dr Who collectibles. If you're at a real loss for inspiration for presents, it may be worth while looking round here for ideas, as more often than not you'll see something that you know someone will love. The staff are eager to help and even if you ask them random ambiguous questions they eventually find out what you're talking about and sort you out. It's on the same avenue as the 99p shop so you know you're going for guilty pleasures (ie stocking up on £5 worth of sweets) if your feet take you in that direction.

Kit Stop is a long-established model shop which I've just re-discovered after moving back to the…read morearea. The service is very good/helpful, prices are reasonable and the range of stock is excellent given the size of the shop. Hobbies catered for include model railways, cars and planes. There is a very good selection of second hand stuff. Thank goodness for shops like this which continue to survive despite the on line competition. Even Liverpool does not boast a shop of this calibre, so bravo Kit Stop may you carry on for a very long time!

Kit Shop is a small, independent model shop on Oxten Road in Birkenhead. If you love building…read morethings, and you like airplanes and cars, you'll probably find a fun project to work on here. Shops like this always remind me of my older brother because he used to love model airplanes, and his bedroom was littered with them over the years. My dad even built a sort of wood mobile thing across the room for him to hang them on so it looked like they were flying. Such boy toys. And, sorry, but in my opinion kind of a waste of time and money. But if you like this kind of thing, than this is the kind of shop you will like. It's small, but there is still a good variety and prices are fairly reasonable.

The Bankrupt Shop is fab, it's like a big jumble sale but without the junk. This store is quite…read morelarge ad stock all sorts of furniture like nests of tables and chairs and stools, ornaments and mirrors and photo frames as well as soft furnishings: curtains cushions, throws and of course masses of material for the haberdashers amongst us. The prices are reasonable, although "bankrupt" implies something on par with poundland, its not quite that cheap, but you'll find a bargain. I'm not sure whether a delivery servce is available as lots of the items are quite large and bulky I should think there would be.

There are two World's Apart shops in Liverpool and contrary to the name they are actually quite…read moreclose together. This building in Lime street is a mess and needs a sympathetic refurb and clean. I was surprised to discover that actually this shop is part of a small chain. I visited the shop for the first time this week. It's full of comics and toys you simply can't get elsewhere - not that I have tried. So many of the toy figures I could not recognise although I did spot some of the original Dr Who figures and some from Final Fantasy. Forget Toys R Us, this place is a wealth of badges, stickers, games and oddness for kids, adults and fans of things I've never even heard of.

Like its geeky counterpart, Forbidden Planet on Bold, World's Apart deals in all things cult. Cult…read moreis often a term used to describe things that have a strong, devoted core audience - or for studio executives something with low viewing figures. But no more, the popularity if this store can be seen on Saturday afternoons as children and adults alike fill the store and rummage through the amazing collections of limited edition, imported and new toys, comics, books, graphic novels, DVDs, posters and clothing for every genre and range of sci-fi, horror and anime franchise.

This is a fairly standard model shop with all your basics like trains, model airplane kits, etc…read more They did seem to tend more toward the masculine interests, whereas some model shops also carry girly things like dollhouse miniatures. They are well stocked, and seem to be helpful and reliable, but I guess if I were looking for something I'd probably go to a larger store just because I like to have more to look at and choose from.

Ahoy there!…read more Nauticalia is appropriately located amongst the array of touristy type gift shops in Albert Dock. If you are an admirer of seafaring, then this shop is definitely for you. There are a wide amount of ornaments and collectables, some of whom might consider odd if you're not familiar - if you're like me, it's kind of difficult to describe them! Although, I did manage to recognise a barometer - an instrument sailors use to measure atmospheric pressure. Some items may be pointless but you can buy products such as strong weathproof clothing, and thermals all of which are fairly expensive. The member of staff whom greeted me was cheerful and I actually enjoyed the browsing experience which was quite unique. From my visit, I saw a gift cloth with a very interesting description and I'd like to share those sayings about why a ship is called "she". A ship is called a "she" because..... There is always a great deal of bustle around her There is usually a gang of men about She has a waist and stays It takes a lot of paint to keep her good looking She shows her topsides and hides her bottom She can be all decked out It takes an experienced man to handle her correctly And without a man at the helm, she is absolutely un-controllable. It takes a lot of Paint to keep her Good - Looking. And the main reason....It's not the initial expense that breaks you, It's the upkeep!!! When coming into port, always heads for the buoys. Fascinating!!!

Nauticalia seems to have forgotten one of the only rules about owning a shop. Sure, you can make…read moreyour range of products fantastic to look at, but if it's so expensive that people will run screaming, you've failed at business. Then again, this place has been here for years so I'll hush ma mouth. Selling everything to do with the sea, this is a great shop to stroll around and browse the bottled ships, maritime clocks, diving helmets and miniature twin cylinder engines (every home should have one) but, as I said, unless you've recently discovered pirate treasure, the chances of you buying anything whose price you can justify are going to be slim.

Dames with guns Doctors with time-machines…read more& Super-heroes with special powers You guessed it, we're talking about the weird and wonderful world of comics and graphic novels. If you're a collector or a fan, chances are you already know the staff at Forbidden Planet by name. If you don't, go and check the shop out. We're talking aisles of comics and graphic novels from manga and anime to The Iron Man and Cat Woman. They also have oodles of awesome toys, collectibles, tee-shirts, posters and gadgets including Dr Who figurines and Sonic screwdrivers.

Forbidden Planet is a geeks paradise. It stocks lots of cult items such as comics, graphic novels,…read moreposters, t-shirts, models, figurines, books, memorabilia and much more. The shop is small but well organised into clear sections. It is kept clean and tidy and is bright and airy. The staff, although a little patronising like many true geeks are, are helpful and knowledgeable about their stock. If you want something they don't stock they will order it in specially for you at no extra cost. The items here are a bit expensive compared to some other similar shops, but they are of a good quality.