Best Kept Secret is an outlet store that has a good range of shoes, bags, clothes and jewellery for…read morewomen with more more mature tastes, however there are still a few things that younger people might like as well. The owner, Lorna, goes on buying trips overseas to hand-pick items for the shop, mostly in parts of Asia, so the stock is not the usual stuff that you would find in other places in New Zealand. It is organised really well, with a corporate section that has stylish comfortable work shoes, a slipper section with all sorts of leading slipper brands, such as Grosby, and also a large leather bag section to the right of the store. A nice place to go if you are after a unique pair of new comfortable shoes, or wanting a reasonably priced present for your mum or your sister.

This is one of my go to stores if I visit Sylvia Park. Great for work, or casual clothes. The…read moreclothes are quality on the whole too.

I didn't like the way the sales assistant spoke with me. Very rude and unpleasant…read more The worst is when the message is said in the intercom reminding customers the store will be closed!!! I hated the experience in store it is so hard to find things as all over the place !!!! Disorganised and the assistant know nothing not helpful!!!! Not coming back to this store!!!

Seeking a decent purse that won't break in a jiffy can be a hard feat when you don't have the…read moredollars. What I appreciate about Strandbags, as they not only do sales on a regular basis, but they have a variety of different purses, bags and suitcases that suit anyone's pocket book. I bought a purse here at the Sylvia Park branch quite a number of years ago, and it's still in really good condition. (under $25) I always pop in to check out their sales when I'm buying for someone's birthday, and the shop assistants are generally very chirpy and helpful.

As a blogger I come across different blogs from around the world. On twitter I have met fellow…read morebloggers and the majority of them are in Australia. I always saw cute pieces from Colette by Colette Hayman and after doing some googling I learnt that there wasn't a store in Auckland or New Zealand. No surprise there. So when I went to Sylvia Park with my friend to look for his mum's present and saw the Colette by Colette Hayman store I started screaming. I said oh heeelll naaw walked back and walked again to show that it was real. I walked in and it felt good. It got better that the prices were so affordable. Rings were around $8-14 and earrings starting from $4. I walked around, tried half the rings in the shop and left with two big rings and two pairs of earrings.

My girlfriend bought a travel bag from here, the zip broke about the third time she used it, before…read moreshe had had a chance to travel with it. I went with her to get a refund or replacement. What an ordeal! I must of heard the phrase "But our store policy is {insert policy that fails to meet the consumer guarantees act}" at least five times. After 20 minutes of haggling and the apparent violation of every clause in their "store Policy" they finally complied with the CGA and gave the refund. What a joke. It's a wonder sellers can still get away with having "store policies" that openly flout the CGA. I hate to imagine how many less assertive customers they've swindled out of meeting their CGA legal obligations with.

Every time I walk past Mischief shoes on Broadway in Newmarket it kills me. The shoes in the window…read moreare literally so beautiful it hurts. Though I've never actually bought anything from the store, I've tried on numerous pairs of shoes there over the years, and have always been really impressed by the quality of the shoes as well as the wide selection. The staff at Mischief are really helpful, and don't mind you trying on half the store (something I've done quite a few times!), as they too are shoe lovers and understand how important it is to find not only the perfect fit but also the perfect style for you. Stocking popular, fashionable and quality brands like Nude, Soles, Clarks, Chaos and Harmony and Paolo Vandini, Mischief caters to both men and women aged about 16 years onward. A little pricey is ol Mischief, but this an example of the whole 'what you get is what you pay for' scenario. Every pair of shoes in this store is made from excellent quality materials and is on trend with the latest European fashions. If you're in Newmarket and feel the need to treat yourself, take a peek in Mischief - it's well named - you never know what you'll be leaving the store with!

Really beautiful quality shoes! Every pair seems to be made of supreme quality and is just dazzling…read moreto look at. If I had a never ending budget I would be able to buy almost every pair. When i last wondered in here, my nephew (4) was really taken with some of the shoes! He would pick out the fanciest, shiniest, most sparkly high heel and bring it over to me and ask if I'd like to try it on. I was starting to worry about his love of shoes but thought he could obviously just appreciate quality as much as I can. I noticed down the back there are a few shoes on sale. This is a pretty important thing for me because most of the prices are well above my price range and so sale items are unfortunately my only option.

This store is my go to "gift shopping" store - the only problem is I always leave buying something…read morefor myself - which isn't really a problem at all! - Cute vintage dresses, bags, shoes - Handcrafted journals, jewelry and cards - Delicious teas!! Plus the girls behind the counter are so cutie cool, and always offer an opinion on outfits or gift ideas.

I think I've got a new favourite shop. I'm such a sucker for anything cute, kitsch and quirky and…read morethat's exactly what this shop is. Brand new to K Road, this store embodies everything I love about the area. I think their selection of necklaces is actually even nicer than the similar ones in Monster Threads just down the road, and I looove those! It's clear the owners of this store really think about what they're selling and who they're trying to sell it to. This is only a tiny little store but everything in here is covetable, from the tea sets to books to the array of vintage-inspired sunnies and dresses. It's out of the ordinary, beautiful clothing, jewellery and homewares. I've got my eye on a necklace and the super-cute stick-on animal wall decorations.

What I love about this place is that the staff are always so, so nice. I mean, obviously you have…read moreto have a certain sense of altruism to be working voluntarily at a hospice shop in the first place, but these ladies always seem to go above and beyond and they are super polite and chatty, so it always makes me feel good about spending my dollars here and rewarding these hardworking ladies instead of going to the similar shop down the road. In terms of the stock, I always often find goodies in here - whether it be books, clothes or trinkets, most of the time I walk away with something in hand. A little bit out of the CBD if you're a traveller, however if you're a local in the area then I would definitely say that this the best opportunity shop in the Glen Innes/ Glendowie/ St Heliers region by far.