I buy my household goods from Boundary Road appliances. I'll tell you why. If they break, I can…read moretake them back and they don't quibble. You don't get that service in the big souless chains. Currys and Argos may be cheaper but I will happily pay more for honest service and peace of mind. It is also great to support a local business.

Edwards and Hope is a simple alternative to some of the bigger electric retailers, offering a…read morevariety of electric goods for much cheaper than most of the big stores on the outskirts of town. Also, the service is much more personalised: advice can be asked from real electricians, not a student helper who will just pass you on to someone else. However, it doesn't have the stock or selection of the big stores, leaving Edwards and Hope a bit of an odd addition to the North Laine shopping community. Where most shops in the Laine are aiming for cool and/or chic, Edwards and Hope is delightfully old-fashioned. These are electrical retailers who aren't trying to sell you otter-shaped lamps, or something similarly bizarre enough to appeal to Brighton's cool-kids crowd: they're here to offer simple, basic advice on any electrical faults, problems, and sell fuses, plugs and the like. I'm not sure how they survive in an area like the North Laine, but they've clearly been around for some time, so they must be doing something right! What Edward's and Hope can offer over most other electrical appliance shops is the personalised service. These guys know what they're talking about, and can offer a lot of direct advice about any issue you may be having in your home. This is a great place to go to ask for help: they won't charge a fortune, and they are directly available: you won't have to talk to useless student advisors in big chain stores or wait in call queues to speak to an advisor again in this field. However, being a small shop, Edwards and Hope never seem to stock everything you're looking for. More often than not, customers seem to go in for advice, then go and buy the items in B&Q or Dixons. In the end, the best use this place has is for advice and the occasional purchase: they simply don't have the warehouse mentality that some of the bigger shops do.

Great range of electronics, helpful staff. Will match if not beat any online price! Very highly…read morerecommended :)

Always a good product range. Really helpful staff, will install products for free and also if you…read morearen't technically minded they will go through it with you in laymans terms! Quite pricey compared to bigger electrical stores though.

The Robert Dyas location on George Street has a bit less than the one on Western Road, but also has…read morea lot less shoppers swarming through it. I found it much easier to wander through the aisles here and appreciate the variety of home and garden items available. There's pretty much every kitchen appliance you could imagine: sandwich makers, mini hotdog grillers, cappacino machines and even the allusive filter coffee maker, crock pots, kettles, toasters and a cotton candy machine! Wowy. That one's even on offer. Kitchen stuff also includes dishware, utensils, and a few kitschy items like Sergeant Pepper and Corporal Salt. Homewear then moves into tools, paint and hardware as well as an aisle of household cleaners and a few electronics: telephones, keyboards, USB drives and a small selection of printers (like, two.) For gardeners, Robert Dyas has tools in a variety of styles, plus a huge display of seeds. The prices of everything are really reasonable, and I'll definitely be back to pick things up when I move off-campus.

I agree with Jessica that this is my prefered store for the same reason. I was surprised with the…read moreextent of the ranges and with the little extras they do. For christmas I bought my brother a western shooting, drinking game and we had great times with it. If you are unsure of a gift for somebody this place can be a treasure trove of ideas and answers as you might see something that sparks an idea of a present that you could get elsewhere.

A high-street DIY shop that also stocks kitchens and garden furniture. You don't get many of those…read morein existence anymore with the big Homebase and B&Qs in every town but when I popped in to have a look some shelves, the shop was packed. Very encouraging indeed to see local places doing this well. They also cut wood to size and sell a huge amount of high end and basic tools to get your home looking at its best. While the big chain places might be a few pence cheaper, I think its a lot better to buy your DIY goods from somewhere like this as the staff are always so much more helpful and honest to what your needs are.

A great shop with really helpful and friendly staff. They made me a great kitchen at a good fair…read moreprice, which I am really pleased with. I would fully recommend them.

Very polpular store that is financed, (well it seems like it), by my daughter..and now my wife!!!…read moreFantastic stock and styles, sadly no seating for frail old gentlemen who have to wait!!!!!! Still, loads of coffee nearby. Seriuosly, a smashing shop which does have some good gear and nice people serving.

If you want to kit out your home wuith the most gorgeous furniture definately go to Velvet - i…read morecould easily spend my wages in here on pay day!!! :) from the most beautiful mirrors & smaller items its a great shop for people of all ages & tastes.

they recently fixed my cooker glass door, punctual and polite,…read moreI would recommend, Also i bought a washing machine from them over 10 years ago and its still working fine,

Scratch and Dent is a well established business in Tarring road. It sells slightly damaged/seconds…read moreof appliances like ovens, dishwashers, fridges and a few spares for appliances. We bought our fridge there about 4 years ago. We had looked at all the usual appliance shops and came across one at Scratch and Dent at a greatly discounted price, it had a slight dent on the side but it didn't matter because the way we were fitting it meant we wouldn't see the dent. The warranty was still valid on the fridge and it`s still going strong, a good buy. The owner was very helpful. They can only stock so much in their shop so it's worth asking if they any more lurking around back. You also need to check stock regularly as the turnover is quick and more sort after items go quickly. Parking is on the street.

I can't believe I haven't written about Wolf & Gypsy before…read more A designer boutique on Sydney Street, it specialises in vintage fashion for men and women. Last time I popped in there was a couple of dresses from the fifties but the majority of outfits are from the sixties and seventies. We're not talking about tatty flares either but stylish dresses, blouses and wide leg trousers for women and cool shirts, cardigans and figure hugging Levi's for men. Refreshingly, everything is reasonably priced and the stock is in very good to excellent condition.

I instantly loved Wolf and Gypsy. I'm a long time fan of second hand shops, but oh, the effort of…read moreweeding through racks of duds for that one stylish Find. Well, if you're not feeling up to the time sucking search, Wolf and Gypsy has already done the leg work. Racks of Finds for both men and women are available throughout the shop. Prices aren't bad - in the £15 - £25 range. Records and collectables are available upstairs, but "he just stepped out for about half an hour" I was told, and so will have to leave that for another time.