absolutely love this shop, they have such good prices & are so friendly, really love the vibes in…read morethere & the music is good, recommend a lot definitely worth going to!

From the owner: Vintage Clothing, Retro Clothingread more

This is one of the best charity shops on the city! It's great! It's like a jumble sale, but with…read morethings you would actually want. On the summer days, like today, they put boxes and racks of stock outside the front of the shop; making it feel like a garage sale. I challenge anyone to walk past on a day like today and not be forced to stop and have a look at the piles of stuff. It's a large charity shop as far as they go, with a huge variety of bits & pieces, like cameras and electronic goods to clothes, furniture and books. I already found a great old cannon camera I'm thinking about going back for tomorrow. The staff I met were all very young and will help you look for things that you can't find on the shop floor. They will also go and check the mountains of donations in the back room for you as well.

This particular charity shop intrigued me on my first ever walk down Cotham Hill and still draws me…read moreinside no matter how many times I walk past determined not to go in...again! The shop has the most colourful display window I have ever seen and a mountain of cuddly toys at the front of the shop ensures that mothers will be dragged in by their children. Most charity shops have racks of clothes to browse but this charity shop makes the whole process so much easier. The shop is divided into colours -an orange rack, a green rack, a yellow rack etc. Shirts, trousers, skirts and dresses of the same colour are held together which is extremely useful, especially if looking for a particular colour for fancy dress or for a top to match your new shoes. I definitely recommend this brilliant rainbow shop!

Walking through the doors of shop is like literally taking a step back in time. Everything from the…read morefurniture to the shop assistants look as though they've come from the swinging sixties. This is a little slice of retro happiness on the Christmas Steps. They stock everything from home ware to jewellery making it a vintage girl's paradise. Not only is Shop one of the best shops that Bristol has to offer, but they also hold gig and film nights where they'll serve you hot buttered pop corn and cups of tea. Keep an eye on the website for an event that takes your fancy and then try it out for yourself.

A lot of shops have come and gone on Christmas Steps, but this little vintage shop has kept its…read morechirpy little doors open. Focusing on modern vintage ('70s to '90s with a few nods to '50s and '60s) the first room has carefully displayed homeware and little nick-nacks. Owners Jayne and Brett are always there with a 'hello' - they always look so damn happy! - and the lounge music will usher you in smoothly to the back room. Here you will find some good retro clothes, particularly nice are the accessories and brooches available. TOP TIP: Pick up a 'shop-fir-mation' from the bowl at the back, a pick-me-up fortune cookie message in SHOP's unique style.

This is the kind of vintage emporium in which it's possible to lose whole afternoons as you rummage…read morethrough racks of incredible dresses, shirts and velvet jackets in colours you never thought possible and 1970s patterns that make your eyes go funny, and shelves of incredible aviators, braces, gloves, belts and badges, every item more mesmerising and tempting than the last. And that's before you reach the glorious, plush nook at the back of the shop where dozens of fur coats, leather jackets and bags brush against each other, giving a rustling call for you to drape them over your shoulders. It's hard to leave RePsycho, mainly because it is, actually, quite hard to leave; it's very cramped and stuffed with stock from ceiling to floor, wall to wall, and it can become a bit of a slalom if more than two people are inside. It's also awkward getting out if you're the only person in there and you haven't bought anything. It's the kind of small boutiquey environment that's staffed by people who are intensely passionate about what they're selling, so you can't really slip out empty-handed without offering a slightly grovelling "thank you", wearing your best "I'm sorry" expression as you open the door. Of course, as with any vintage shop, you get the best experience when you're prepared to invest time looking through all the racks and all the shelves and battling through lots of questionable stuff in order to find something gorgeous at a price you're willing to pay. RePsycho is one of those shops that can provide hours of silly fun if you take a friend and play dress-ups (and do your best to stop worrying about the shop assistant hearing you talking about how hideous some of the things are), but it's also good for intensive, solitary shopping when you're on a quest for those perfect Betty Draper-esque white court shoes.

I usually loathe vintage clothing shops. They make me feel more frumpy than a royal and further…read morefrom the likes of Alexa Chung and Agyness Deyn than a square meal. However, RePsycho manages to be kooky, great value and truly a beacon of style rather than just pretentious. It is not for those who like to cruise well-ordered rails and peel pristine items off their hangers, however, as there is something of a jumble sale feel to the mess within. But there are great bargains to be had, from cool Paddington Bear-style bags to amazing 80s garb and just lived-in enough cowboy boots. As usual I never emerge from here looking remotely cool but if you do have an eye for how to put a good outfit together, or a really cool Mod party to go to then this is the must-see haunt for you.

A great idea, staff were friendly and helpful and I grabbed several bargains. I would recommend a…read morevisit as it's a unique and excellent charity.

From the owner: The Compass Project Bristol is a volunteer scheme set up for people with a history of substance…read moremisuse. We offer work experience, training and team building skills to those showing a willingness to start on a journey of recovery from addiction. The Project was set up by recovering addicts, the shops are run by volunteers - all of whom are working towards a new, clean life.

Right next to organique, if you buy some food from their, and then some clothes from this St Peters…read moreHospice Shop, I can garuantee you will have that feel good feeling in side, and you will feel happy that you are doing your bit! Not only for the environment but also for charity! Being the largest charity retailer in Bristol you wont find many places without a St Peters Hospice, but they are all of differing qualities and standards, this particular one is surprisingly big and has some great stuff inside, and always a warm smile will greet you upon stepping inside.

ST Peter's Hospice Charity Shop's are located all accross Bristol. They are the largest network of…read moreCharity shop's in the Bristol Region and you will probabley have stumbled accross quite a few during your travels around the City. This St Peter's Hospice is slightly larger than some of the others I have seen, so purley on that fact it has quite a good selection of brick-a-brack goods. Also if you are good at seeking out items of clothing that look drab on the shelf but as soon as you put it in an outfit it somehow becomes amazing then you might just thrive in this charity shop!

Lying between the cultural areas of Stokes Croft and Montpelier, the Magpie was once a charity shop…read morebut is now home to a group of squatters who have taken to covering the space in beautiful graffiti, making it stand out against the backdroup of old, rundown buildings that surround it. Constantly under threat from developers, there was talk a few months ago that the Magpie might be knocked down in favour of a mini chain supermarket but it seems to be safe for now. Jumble sales take place regularly, normally on a Saturday morning, and everyone I've seen coming and going is always very good natured, if a little eccentric. The walls are constantly being added to and there are signs up that invite others to add their own artwork.

Live Right, Love Right, Everything Is Gonna Bee Alright is the grafittied slogan painted on one of…read morethe exterior walls of the Magpie building where Picton Street meets Ashley Road, just before the traffic lights leading out onto Stokes Croft. It looms above the 'al fresco retail arm' of the Magpie collective, and is essentially one of the largest fly pitches you are ever likely to see, taking advantage of a piece of derelict wasteland on the corner of the street, and making it a whole lot prettier. Selling the kind of clobber that you will find at flea markets across the city, or on tat stalls at all of the festivals this summer, this permanent fixture is a welcome addition to the retro shops on Picton Street. Around the corner on Ashley Road, next to the front door of the Magpie building, there's a hand painted sign that reads: "This building is an ongoing and evolving exhibition that you can add to if you wish." Immediately beneath it there's another sign saying, "Enquire within." I love the 'Enquire within" sign that appears to have been added as an afterthought. It seems so incongruous to have such an old fashioned sign accompanying this sub-cultural, progressive and altogether unorthodox establishment. The Magpie is worth a visit. In simply walking through the door you seem to enter another universe entirely. You will find out stuff about Bristol that you never knew existed, and it will change your perspective of this city forever.

It's been three years since leaving University, where I studied English, and subsequently had to…read moreread many many books. This inevitably ripped all the joy out of picking up a novel and getting stuck in to a page turner. For months I'd read books only to unconsciously try to spot themes, narratives, similies and so forth. But thankfully my love of reading has finally returned, and it's partially thanks to Oxfam Books and Music at the top of Park Street. This, to me, is the best charity shop in Bristol. The quality and variety of the books it offers is fantastic, and it's always a joy to come in with an open mind and leave with something completely unexpected. The music section is just as good and it's fun to rediscover bands and albums I'd long since forgotten. The prices are fairly high for a charity shop, but with a cause this good I could never resent paying them.

Oxfam is an international charity giving aid to those in poverty…read more This shop does what I think all charity shops should do - putting all of their best eggs in one basket. Here the best books and CDs collected from donations end up here, making it a fine second-hand bookshop rather than a jumble-sale rummage. Sectioned out into categories, the fiction on the ground floor is particularly strong with modern and classic titles - all killer no filler. Upstairs are the non-fiction including lots of travel books (its a student area, so this has backpacker written all over it). They also have modern and good condition CDs upstairs for a reasonable price. Find this at the top of Park Street by the triangle - pretty much opposite the museum at the junction.

Situated just two seconds away from another Oxfam shop, this particular branch specialises in…read morefashion and bric-a-brac. With plenty of charity shops to choose from in Clifton Village there's a lot of competition, and this Oxfam fairs well. They tend to get a lot of student donations, so the quality and make of the clothes varies wildly, but I've managed to bag a bargain quite a few times here. It's slightly off the beaten track but definitely worth a visit if you're doing the charity shop rounds.

Oxfam is not my usual charity shop of choice, unless it comes to books, because Oxfam bookshops are…read morejust, well, quite frankley, I just can't find the words.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................AWESOME! So when popping into this one I was a little down hearted as it's the books I usually head to, but I gave it a good slice of my attention, saw it has potential, picked up a cranberry bar (you know, those very tasty fair trade ones they have, has to be one of my favourite snakcs) and thought to myself, you've given me enough (in regard to my shopping experience) i'll be back to visit here again.