Nice range of candy there but the service was not it. I stopped coming here but the last time I…read morecame here, the owners were eyeing us down like Hawkes when I was just browsing. I got a small bag of lollies but when I went to pay, the owner just swapped the bag of lollies I grabbed for a different bag at the back of the counter. the lady at the counter told me it was fresher and refused to give me the original bag I picked.

Thirsty from all your shopping, need a sugar pick me up then head on over to Sweet Station. This…read moresugar paradise is located opposite the sushi place and stocks a wide range of candy, drinks and snack foods. If you're with kids and they won't shut up, go buy them some candy, get them chupa chups or something. So much gum and chocolate. It may be tiny but they make the most of the space. Need gum or mints after lunch they have that too or if you buy something they actually give you a mint. Don't trust the food court here but really hungry and won't leave until you've found a bargain? Then they have chips, crackers, yoghurts and cookies, in fact it is almost like a little dairy. Tip: there is no customer service help desk in Dress Smart but if you can't locate a store buy something and ask and they will point you in the right direction.

Sugary treats, sweet delights, goody-goody-gumdrops!!! What to write about a confectionary store…read morethat I have frequented on more than one occasion... well, they are in New Lynn Mall, close to the door when coming in from the train station side, which I am sure proves problematic for many families if they need to leave that way, passing by in hope the ankle biters don't see the colourful lollies on display, wise and evil planning by The Sweet Factory owners. The shop also have a ample range of gifts already wrapped waiting to surprise a new owner, ample considering it is really only a very small store, I am guessing you couldn't fit more than five customers in there all at once. Go take some friends and try it for for yourselves, prove my theory wrong!

This place is ridiculous, with sweets of all kinds gathered for a sugar mind blow…read more Try pass your kids along this shop and you will fail miserably. The shop although tiny, is set up so that every little and big sweet is on full display. This makes it incredibly difficult to bypass it without purchasing a little something, or a lot of something. I like it because they have a great selection of foreign sweets too, which can sometimes be hard to come by. What I don't like is that it is a little on the expensive side for my liking, and of course the fact that all the sweets are terrible for your health! Also, you can't really tell what it is that you are purchasing, because not all the products have their ingredients listed on the packaging, and some sweets don't even have packaging (gross).

For 12 years I was happy to buy American food and things like toothpaste with peroxide and baking…read moresoda not otherwise available in NZ from Martha's. During those 12 years one of the owners frequently went to America to buy the stock. And for many years they got special orders for me. But ever since the pandemic they have lost the plot. They refused to accept special orders and their shelves rarely offer me what I want. I have repeatedly asked them to figure out a new method of getting their supplies which they refuse to do. How they stay in business is a mystery without desirable stuff to buy. They're old and no longer seem to give a damn. I find it remarkable that they stay in business. Not worth the trip.

Ever have the feeling of giddiness as an adult, that makes you say 'get ahold of yourself now?' But…read moreyou can't and your smile is ear to ear. Well that's what Martha's Backyard did to me. I was instantly hit with Americana as the doors spread open for me. No need to trouble yourself with pushing a door American, here let me automatically open for you. Star! Since the owner was clearly using her consumer... ahem marketing skills, the first sight upon entering was a stock pile of Stars & Stripes regalia. All that was needed was the Star Spangled Banner playing in the background. Independence Day is only a few days away, so stock up. Martha's Backyard which of course is a play on words, (think Martha's Vineyard) has many American culinary favorites from candies, seasonings, sauces, cereals, beverages and snacks. I walked out with Cholula, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, a pack of Lawry's Taco seasoning, mini Butterfingers and 2 boxes of Cap'N Crunch cereal for under $40.00. Not a bad price for imported happiness.

I dare you to try and wrap your mouth around one of the Giant lollipops they stock here. At $12,…read moreit's probably the most you should probably spend on a lollipop but totally worth it for the challenge alone. 'The Old Lolly Shop' in Takapuna may be one of the last of its kind in Auckland, stocking all of your kiwi favourites, like spearmint leaves, humbugs, chocolate fish and lots more. They have their very own instore 'Lollymaker', who you can pop in to see in action. They are available to make handmade lollies to order. You choose the size, shape, colour and flavour. If you book in a group of people, say for a playgroup or school trip , you even have the option to each make your own lollipop. I mean how awesome is that!

I was elated when The Sweetest Little Chocolate Shop opened a new store in Sylvia Park. Not only…read morewas it much closer to home, but personally, it was bigger and better- its a modern take on the charming, original Midcity Arcade store. The service is friendly, patient and very knowledgeable; because of this I can never leave without a box of ten chocolates and a bag of their delicious Russian caramel fudge. The staff really make it an experience and because of this, I've become a regular here. You'll be dying to try all the flavours they provide, and its an extensive list. For someone who already knows what they're after or they're short on time, they do provide a range of pre-packed candies, chocolates and bars to suit any need. My favourites include the almond rocher, coconut snowball truffle and the roasted almond honey truffle- all to die for! Take a few flavours home with you to try- you really won't be disappointed.

It really is! (the sweetest little chocolate shop). I'd never seen my niece's eyes so wide as we…read morewalked in; it's a beautiful little store with a great selection of hand made chocolates. This is their third store; half of the choccies they make themselves, the other half imported from around the world. We spent at least 30mins choosing from the cabinet, they are all so perfectly made and nearly look too good to eat. The passion fruit heart was my favourite; my niece couldn't get enough of the truffles. This is a great place to buy a gift; either make a box up yourself or choose from their large range of pre-packaged goodies. The staff are very helpful and my niece was SO jealous when the girl behind the counter said she had tried most of the chocolates. You can guess what she wants to be when she grows up now!

I would never have known about this place unless someone else had directed me there and it really…read moreis a bit of a secret. Cheap Lollies. Lots of cheap lollies. And biscuits and chocolates and salty snacks and even random grocery items. This is the physical shop of FBC Confectionery and I'm not sure how it works but they seem to have clearance products of not only popular sweets but also quite a few retro lollies that you don't often see elsewhere these days. Like Lifesavers, Spacemen (not ciggies - confectionery sticks if you will), K-Bars and the like. The prices are crazytown and you need to exercise restraint because you really can GO to crazytown buying up large here. If you need bulk supplies for Easter egg hunts or other events (we had bags of Mixed Lollies circa 1982 for our wedding guests) this is the place to go - you'll save hundreds of dollars.

Yep I'm hooked on this place as are my all my young adult children. So cheap its crazy friendly…read morestaff a little hidden gem great one stop shop for last minute party goodies or just to pick up something special for your bestie or partner also do hampers from time to time love it

Oh crikey - we have found the holy grail of cheap and cheerful. This place is packed with…read moreeverything you could ever need when dressing up or getting crafty, and is surprisingly huge. There is a huge range of costumes and accessories, fake flowers, themed-decorations, crafts, and more and more and more. Around the time of office Christmas parties and St Patricks Day, the place is packed. And they order in more stuff depending on the celebration. There is a very entertaining R18 section for funny presents, or just actual stuff. But it;s not just silly stuff, head down the back and you'll find kitchen utensils, rubbish bins, frames, cleaning products, bathroom stuff, hangers and all the rest of that kind of stuff for super cheap. It's actually not a bad idea to see what you can find.

This place is Mecca for costumes and silly novelty items. It's a one stop shop for all your fun and…read morefrivolity needs: dress up parties, St Patrick's Day, sporting events, or just silly gifts. If you want it, Look Sharp probably has it, and you'll probably only pay ten bucks. I've accumulated a small collection of awesomeness from Look Sharp, including costumes, canes, hats, wigs and flags. I have also made extensive use of their wonderfully inappropriate R18 section for Secret Santa gifts - hilarity and awkwardness ensued. In short, any occasion is better if preceded by a visit to Look Sharp.

Located at the Countdown end part of Sylvia Park mall, United Sweets stocks an array of North…read moreAmerican candy, cereal and other food items including canned soft drinks (fizzy drink/soda pop). I would have given them more than 3 stars but Martha's Backyard is is a 5 minute drive from this shop & has everything they do plus LOADS more.

After a trip to Queenstown earlier this summer and making a visit to the British Lolly Shop there,…read moreI was an instant fan. So I was happy to discover that United Sweets had a selection of British confectionery for me to devour! I am of the opinion that British chocolate is superior in just about every form; there's just something about the texture, the richness and flavour that's different (and better) than what we get in New Zealand. Yorkies and Tunnock's Snowballs are my picks from the kiosk so far- always a great little treat! American candy is readily available in most places around Auckland now (a lot of local video stores are honing in on this one), but the kiosk is readily located just outside the supermarket, so if you're feeling that craving of Cookie Dough Bites or Mike & Ikes, its very convenient.

I have a sweet tooth, more than one in fact, so those of you out there like me, will like this…read morelittle gem of a store conveniently located at the bottom of the escalators in West City, Henderson Mall. A line up of bulk lollies, (for all the American's that may be reading this, that means 'candy'), and chocolate pieces, sit side by side, waiting to be picked for just $2.39 per 100g. Sweet as! Choices? Fudge chocolate, jelly lollies, boiled lollies, chocolate coated peanuts (my pick!), too many to list in one review. Was sad to see they also sell cigarettes behind the counter, it just didn't look appropriate for this type of shop. They also have an array of pre-wrapped gifts, from the large traditional teddy in a basket surrounded by sweets, to the small nicely wrapped chocolate bars for less than $5.00.

We stopped by after lunch one day during our trip to try their Pavlova dessert and it did not…read moredisappoint! We were scouring the area specifically for pavlova as it's one of my faves and the adorable vibes drew us in. The dessert was lovely and so were the staff. Prices were good and their menu was massive with so many intriguing dessert options. You don't often see pavlova in the US so when I read that it's a popular dessert in New Zealand, I had it on my radar lol. They offer theirs with either passionfruit sauce or "berry" sauce. We went with the passionfruit which is quite unique for pavlova and it was a fantastic combination! The tart passionfruit sauce was a lovely compliment to the soft, sweet merengue. Chocolate Boutique is packed full of handmade chocolate bonbons, cakes, and all sorts of unique dessert gifts and options. They have hot or cold desserts and drinks and much more than just chocolate - like lemon tarts, apple crumble, carrot cake; and all sorts of other things like numerous hot chocolate drink flavors, teas and coffees too. If we weren't so stuffed from lunch I'm sure we would've tried more lol! They have options to order their chocolates online but you can also order desserts at the counter if you're dining in and they'll bring it out to your table. The seating areas quaint little nooks with wide open windows and street views of the cute Parnell area and a large red phone box - total European vibes - loved it! They're a locally owned business with numerous accolades and awards - and fun fact: even former US president Bill Clinton has stopped by!

Parnell is the oldest district in Auckland and in my opinion, the most beautiful. You really…read moreshouldn't miss spending an early afternoon here, shopping its many boutiques, browsing through the art galleries or simply just exploring. Of course, one of the first places I had us go to was the Chocolate Boutique. It might be tempting to eat your way through all those nearby markets (like at La Cigale), but you'll want to save some room for dessert. This shop sells what I consider the best hot chocolate you'll ever taste called the Italian Denso. It is thick, rich and decadent hot chocolate with whipped cream on top and chocolate flakes. Think of it as a cup of a molten lava cake. And the best part, nobody will judge you for drinking your dessert. Okay, maybe SOME skinny model from LA? But she isn't here!