Proper Liverpool institution is Home Bargains. Probably not something to shout about but…read moreconsidering Tom Morris started out by inheriting a very modest family business and turning HB into a multi million pound nationwide chain is nothing to sneer at. Cheap and cheerful is the motto - not officially but I'm guessing it's what it would be - as 'top brands at bargain prices' is the name of the game. I can't say that I have been to any HB much bigger than this store but HB's are not somewhere to do your weekly shop but more a place to get daily essentials.

I would reckon that Home Bargains is a place most people will have shopped some time or another…read more For me, I frequently shop there anyway. It is a store filled with top brands at bottom prices and the variety of basic home essentials, canned and quick snacks they sell makes it an ideal source where you can buy general everyday items. Sometimes you can get away without having to go to the bigger stores as you can often find cheaper prices and get better value for money here. After all, it is really home and bargain! The service at each till is often busy but efficient and staff will put all your items into a carrier bag, so you don't have to. You can always trust this place and you can't really go wrong.

It's that spooky time of year again and everyone is rushing to get their scary outfit. Have you got…read moreyours yet? If not, you might want to head down to All Star Costume Hire on Great Ducie Street. I came here last year in a flat out panic to find an outfit for the theme 'Celebrity Death Foretold'. Unfortunately I didn't find anything fitting so instead plumped for the Chewbacca mask with and hip hop tracksuit. It got a few laughs... The staff are extra helpful if you're looking for something specific. The place is like an Aladdin's cave, there's a ton of wigs, masks, accessories, whatever you need to complete your outfit. Check out the website first to see what I mean!

I'm going to give this place three stars. I am going to do this begrudgingly…read more This is because getting a pre-made fancy dress costume makes you a spoilsport. This is not the point of fancy dress. If everyone does this then the whole party is ruined. If you all go to a fancy dress party and everyone is in an immaculate hired or purchased costume, you are at a poor party. This is not fun, This is not interesting. Its exactly the same as a normal party except that every guest is £30 down because they've bought a costume instead of wearing their normal clothes. People will then save the money they've wasted by not drinking or eating as much, and some will spend time worrying about their finances. Hardly party time. The whole fun of fancy dress is making your own. This allows scope for funny costumes, jokes and even ones that are funny just because they are bad. It can also be fun to make them! However, I will have to give three stars, because I have to admit that if you are in the market for a pre-made costume, this place is about as good as it gets. Great stock, all different kinds of stuff. They've got almost every type of costume you can imagine, and the prices are really good. So it's the best of a bad thing. 3 stars.

Glimpses of The Divine Gifts of The Spirit…read moreFrancis & His Brothers The History of Christian Europe The Cultural World of The Prophets The Sheep & His Hand The Catholic Priest Image of Christ The Ten Commandments & Jesus - A Short Life Incase you've missed the common thread between all the book titles above, Pauline is a spacious shop that specialises in books, DVDs, CDs and prints about devotion, religion, church, creative ministry and christian values. For the atheists amongst you, there's even a weighty tome called Why Go To Church?

It's a well stocked shop that's for sure and is the apostolic activity of the Daughters of St Paul…read more Books and books and more books including self help. Jewellery, cards and CD's. There are copies of music including Quiet My Soul, One Moment, Holy Ground and Praise and Blessings. The shop is good for teachers who can get primary and secondary religious studies materials. Pauline Books and Media are agents for the complete course of religious education published by Silver Burdett & Ginn and Pearson Education. They also have a wide range of posters, videos and resource materials for assembly or classroom use.

There are three All That Jazz shops, two next to each other in the Forge, one selling greeting…read morecards, gifts and ornaments, the next garden and household repair items and the third shop on London Road stocking furniture and decorative items. I can never quite make my mind up about these shops, sometimes I enter to find them full of tat I would only expect to see on sale at a seaside resort, other times I find them full of unique statement pieces that are a bargain and would look great in my home. This variety and speedy turnover of stock makes for a great visit either way though as you just never know what you will find. In my opinion one of the best home shops in Warrington, especially when it comes to Christmas-they always pull out all the stops to stock up with inexpensive but beautiful Christmas ornaments-I know i'll be checking back regularily in the run up to Christmas day.

A handy store on two sites which stock everything from cards and stationery, to furniture, toys,…read morepicture frames, balloons, kitchen wear, garden accessories etc etc. You name it, they usually have it. Cheap prices and fair quality.

Lovely clothes but pricey, good for finding something that is not mass produced as they only stock…read morea few sizes of each item, I would save spending money in this shop for that special occassion.

Fred Perry is in the position of at once being Britain's only real prestige sports fashion label…read more(when was the last time you saw Kanye West wear Lonsdale) and also one of its most resolutely populist brands. The twin tipped Fred Perry polo is a classic garment worn by hipster and non-hipster alike and over the past few years there have been a wave of stores from Urban Outfitters to Office stocking the now ubiquitous Fred Perry shoulder bags and plimsolls. To view the items in the collection that lie beyond these staples though it is a good idea to visit the Fred Perry store itself. The shop has a bright and spacious layout which lends itself well to highlighting the few choice items. The staff are friendly and laid back, not hassling you too much as you browse and not turning their nose up at anyone who looks like they don't own half of Cheshire. This reflects well on the shop itself making the stuff here feel exclusive rather than exclusionary. There are some really excellent items available including a one strap 'side bag' for £35 and the 'regatta stripe' polo for £55. I'd really recommend a look around, if only to see what you might want to try and pick up a version of somewhere else.

As the name implies, Endless Music is a secondhand music store that sells racks and racks of vinyl…read moreand CDs. Stock is arranged by category with sections devoted to rock, pop, punk, metal, new wave, funk, soul and folk. A lot of the records are too mainstream for my taste - think Madonna to Meatloaf, Bowie to The B-52s - but I was impressed they had about half a dozen early Dylan albums in top notch condition. The owner clearly has an equal passion for film and as a result, there's shelves devoted to film memorabilia, signed posters and photos, videos and DVDs. A note to sci-fi lovers, they also have a bewildering amount of Star Wars figures and memorabilia. Whether or not they'll be happy to part with them however, depends on two things: The size of your wallet and the size of your obsession with all things Luke Skywalker!

Confession: I actually didn't see the original Star Wars trilogy until after I saw the first two of…read morethe prequels. I blame my age. Customers of Endless Music may well want to tell me off for this as they stock Star Wars memorabilia. Ah, when those of the male species really like something they really do go to town don't they. The guys at Endless Music really like Star Wars and they really like records. They have an amazingly named Ebay shop too - blacktiewhitenoise and their website encourages you to have a look on there for some bargains. The shop buys records as well as sells them, and it stocks the artists you want on vinyl. If, like me, you are young enough to love the film Almost Famous despite not having nostalgia yourself yet secretly wish you were one of the characters: Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones. That kind of thing. Because lets face it, you can trawl round every Oxfam in the North West but no-one gives away these kinds of vinyl - they sell them.

Another place of pilgrimage. IYKYK. Ah, what an honor it is to be able to see Pete (owner) & chat…read morewith him during trips to Madchester. It's a used shop that sells vinyl, cassettes, etc. It's like stepping into a library of well-maintained musical archives. I never leave empty-handed and love being able to purchase something pressed in the UK rather than the U.S. It's kind of important when it comes to the music of some of my favorite artists of the area (The Stone Roses, Oasis, and so on). A legendary piece of music history that's simply a must-visit establishment. Prices are super fair.

Great used records, and a superb collection of CDs, cassettes, and DVDs…read more Not your typical trendy record store, so you won't find any newer music here. A true gem for true music enthusiasts. And what a marvelous jazz and country collection btw. Extra points by chatting with the legendary Peter Howard, AKA Mr. Sifter. It was a dream come true to visit this place!