This little shop, otherwise known locally as 13, is situated at the start of Lark Lane. It is an…read moreamazing little shop, with a definite tardis effect apparent as soon as you walk in. The shop is filled with cards, postcards, jewellery, wrapping paper, stationary, lighting, novelties, books, artwork, watches, bags, clothes, toys, ceramics, cosmetics and much much more. The shop is cluttered with hundreds of different items but at the same time it is tidy, clean and well organised. Whenever I have to buy a present or a card this is my first stop. There are gifts suitable for people of all ages and appropriate for all occasions. There is a huge range of cards available for all occasions. From the cute handmade cards to give to your mum, to the hilariously offence cards to give to friends, there is something here for everyone. My favourite part of the shop is the jewellery cabinets by the windows. The stock in here is changed and updated regularly and there is always something in the cabinets that catches my eye when I feel like treating myself to something sparkly.

A fantastic little shop that seems crammed from floor to ceiling with all things kitsch and…read moredesirable. From jokey Jesus statues to gorgeous mirror compacts, beautifully delicate jewellery and quirky cookie jars, this shop has it all. Similar to Utility in town, this has a more homey feel about it, and the staff are very nice. The only problem I found is that because it is so small I was scared to turn around in case I knocked something over and had to pay for it. Prices range from inexpensive to a raised eyebrow, as, for example, the compact mirror I was gushing overturned out to be £8. For a bit of plastic? I gasped. Yes, we all know I'm a miser. However, there are some truly hilarious bits and bobs in here, and it is hard not to buy anything. I especially loved the Carry on Camping plates that were on display in the window - imagine serving dinner on them and seeing Babs pertly staring at you...

I love living where I live. I'm a ten minute walk from Sefton Park, five minutes from all the fab…read morebars and restaurants on Lark Lane, five minutes from St Michael's train station, two minutes walk to bus stops for town and Smithdown Rd where my gym resides and MOST IMPORTANTLY two minutes walk from Home Bargains. Home Bargains is just the best. Even when I go in and can't find the thing/s I went in for I always come out with something ace instead. It really is what I would call a 'general store' and I bloody love it. And bargainous it is indeed - famous branded items from tinned tuna fish to hair dye to baby wipes are so much cheaper than in the larger supermarkets. You really can make great savings here. It can be a bit frustrating when an item that has been in stock for months suddenly isn't (and this can happen a fair bit) but just go down the next aisle and I bet you anything you'll spot a nice notebook or a set of Mason Jars with stripey straws or a multipack or electrical tape or a jar or Filippo Berio about a quarter of the price it would be in Tesco that will cheer you up. So I won't be able to do any laundry this evening as they didn't have any fabric conditioner but I have just put my herb pots into three rather lovely enamel mugs. And I've got a new silicone loaf tin. I don't even bake. Brilliant.

Home and bargains is a fab shop you can et so many bargains here esp toys and stationary, am always…read morein here buying bits. also u can get cheap alcohol to which is great if your having a bbq and have alot of people coming. You can also get come foods like noodles really cheap.Be careful though its easy to just dump loads of cheap stuff in the basket like loo rolls and get the the till and find youve spent 15 on shampoo and bubble bath.still useful and a bargain just make sure u actually need the stuff and not getting it cos it's cheap.

Prom news is a small local newsagents. Early in the mornings the shop is frequented by many a…read moreschool child, all of whom are treated well and with respect by the staff, and the children do appear to return the sentiment and treat them with respect as well. Despite the shops size, it is very well stocked. It offers a very large range of drinks, sweets and groceries. Their prices are always competitive, matching or exceeding the prices offered by larger shops down the road. There are always special offers on which are advertised on a board outside the shop to tempt customers inside. The staff, in particular the lovely Beryl, are always friendly, helpful, cheerful and happy to have a chat when the shop isn't too full. The staff definitely make you feel welcome and do everything they can to make sure of that. Watch out for the lovely Alsatian who sleeps at the back of the shop, delivering the occasional lazy woof before going back to sleep.

Like it's just been thrown together by your nan and her mates, the Animal Rescue Store is the…read moreepitomy of charity shop chic - ? Cluttered and filled with all sorts of surprising and useless junk, this is just the type of place to spend your time pottering around if you happen to be in the Lark Lane area and you never know you could find a little gem in here - like most charity shops their vinyl collection can be very hit and miss but it is the type of place to walk in and see a mint condition rarity.

The Animal rescue shop and information centre works hard to preserve the welfare of mistreated…read moreanimals in the Merseyside area as well as providing people with information as to how they can be of some assistance. It was refreshing to see an establishment such as this which rather than focusing on material gain was genuinely interested in doing a good thing which is desperately needed. The staff here were polite and very well informed and it is clear that they are the best available people to carry out work of this nature and this means the whole place is very well run. The store itself is a tad shabby and this is probably due to a lack of funds but in my opinion the good will behind it outweighs the poor aesthetics. Well done to the people here for actually caring about something important and really following it through.

What a gorgeous little place! I popped in here to buy a birthday card and could have stayed for…read moreHOURS and bought EVERYTHING!!! The downstairs of this fabulous establishment is full of the most adorable trinkets, gifts, jewellery, stationery, homewares and toiletries - almost too much to take in and very dangerous if one is feeling in a spending mood. I actually ended up buying *myself* a gift instead of the person I was buying the card for! Upstairs there is an interesting collection of vintage furniture and bric-a-brac but it is the cornucopia of delectable gifts and bibelots downstairs that has captured my heart. The gorgeous broaches, scarves and handbags, knitted baby clothing, mugs, keyrings, dinner mats and coasters (I bought myself a rather fabulous 'Liverpool's Most Iconic Sights' coaster set - photo below!), fridge magnets and ornaments. I was extremely tempted by the 'retro bunny with a baby's face' lamp but managed to restrain myself. The best thing about Larks is that you don't actually NEED stuff from there...you just WANT it. Because having a cubic zirconia broach shaped like the Eiffel Tower makes you feel happy doesn't it? And that's near enough to needing for me.

Definitely not a shop which was set up to appeal to boys, with a cute selection of all things…read moregirlie, this is a little dolls house style affair with lots of little knick-knacks on sale, from kitsch household items, to some really dainty, bright jewellery and a lot of Alice in Wonderland-esque tea party set porcelain cups and saucers. It's very pink in here and slightly overwhelming but you can't help but have a bit of a root around the little dressing-tables which are crammed with goodies. The kind of stuff you wouldn't buy for yourself but might appreciate as a gift, even if it is slightly tacky. They also have vintage stuff available upstairs and fun cards, it's slightly overpriced for what it is really but worth a look if you have a bit of time on your hands.

Alas! A non commercial charity shop that hasn't started charging ridiculous prices for its stock!…read moreMuch unlike the highly overprices Oxfam's and Banardo's that plague the high streets, animal rescue is a very reasonably priced, honest, friendly charity shop. The shop is pretty big in terms of standard sized charity shops, and they have a wide range of stock inside. This ranges from women's and men's clothes, to books, CD's, DVD's, computer games, board games, ornaments, vinyl, cassettes and other random bits and bobs. All the VHS videos are 50p each and they seem to get loads of them in. It's pretty cool routing through them all because there are some that never made it to DVD and they're worth a watch if you still have a VHS machine. These include old music videos which may be a gem for an avid music collector!

This is an excellent independent charity shop situated on Aigburth Road. It is a large shop and is…read morefilled with all sorts of bits and pieces you wont find elsewhere. It has an excellent range of stock including men, women and children's clothing. They have a large selection of books of all types. I like the selection of board games where you can pick up an old game for next to nothing and be a bit nostalgic with your friends. Other items include ornaments, toys, jewellery, records, tapes, Cd's and textiles. Everything here is very cheap. You won't pay more than £1 for most items, and if something is more its usually a good as new piece of clothing. The staff here are lovely and happy to leave you to mooch around for as long as you like.

Love it, great place to go…read more It is a well thought out store with alot of up to date fashions and accessories. The prices are average for the products avaliable and in the sale they have some real bargains. The store is very nicely laid out and easy to navagate around.It has a very modern edge and is always clean and tidy. A lovely place to shop. They staff are always happy to help and are very pleasent .

Serendipity is a great little boutique,very welcoming, enjoyable place to shop, well worth a visit…read morewhen you want something a little different.good prices too!!!

Livvy Hat is situated on the busy Aigburth Road close to the Lark Lane area. The first thing that…read moremade me go inside was it's curious name, which I still have to find out the explanation for. The shop inside consists of bare floors and walls, giving it a rustic feel. The items inside vary greatly from men and women's clothes, shoes, hats, perfume, jewellery and toys. The shop claims to sell vintage items but this does not seem to solely be the case. I have found several items in there such as the new unused bottles of perfume which are certainly not vintage. I have never been able to buy a vintage item from the shop. The items I have bought have been modern brands which were not extremely cheap but were impulse items. The shop has a feel of a bit of a jumble sale as things are often heaped on table or the few items that are hung up are poorly organised and it is difficult to find a specific type of item or size. It is worth having a look in the shop for a hidden gem, but don't count on finding a true vintage buy.

I've bought a few items from this shop and been extremely pleased with my purchases, the shop is a…read morebit dishevelled but thats not unusual in this type of shop, I found the staff have always been cheerful. One major gripe I have is that so many of these shops do not price up all their stock...I hate having to ask for prices all the time! I think maggie t. is being a bit unfair regarding the owners child, & her choice of music, we have enough sterile faceless shops, hats off (pardon the pun) to the owner for keeping her small business going even with the struggle of looking after her child.

Ahh, the jingling jangling of the door bells as you enter, the ticking of the mass of clocks…read morehanging jauntily on the walls, the dust, the smell of old books and wood. I love antique shops, mainly because, well, they're full of crap, but amidst this cluttered mess of mirrors, stacked old chairs and tables, statuettes and wagon wheels (why?!), there are some cool, quirky items that would look great in a new apartment that you want to make your own. The owner looked particularly happy to see us and was more than willing to chat about some select pieces we had our eye on. It's a bit difficult to get around in there as seriously, stuff is just piled on top of each other pretty much up to the entrance, however, if you have the patience to pick through it you might just find a bargain.

Oh I get it, Remains...to be seen, as in antiquities to see here - and not festering body parts…read morelike I expected on my entrance to this strange shop of curios. Any hint of foul play was of course well hidden by the pungent aroma of a burning jostick which thoroughly smashed me in the face as I opened the door - is it in the contract to be an antique dealer to have the premises smell of josticks? Josticks, check. Layers of dust, check. Retired old hippy, check. It's all part of the fun of course, you don't enter these places looking for something you actually need, that's what John Lewis is for. Nor do you go in expecting to see something in particular and the fact that everything is covered in an inch of dust only adds to the Big Trouble In Little China situation you hope to find yourself in. Im not a collector and I have no idea if anything in there was of any value, however I like it because the owner was such a nice old chap with time on his hands to discuss the objects he had there - of course he too seemed to know if anything he had there was of any value. When I asked about some film posters I was sure were not worth much he said he just took them off a mate to fill the space on the wall - I've seen Lovejoy and I know he could have had me there if he really tried.

I don't think it's just me, but I am coming to the time where lots of my friends are starting to…read morehave kids. This is all good, I get to visit, have a few cuddles and play in the play den, pretend to be a child again and it's great fun. Then I get to go home when they start to cry. It is a perfect situation. Of course I have to come with surprises once in a while and shower them with toys when it gets to their birthday. I have recently found Strawberry to be the perfect place to find really cute kids outfits. They have designer kids clothes mainly for children rather than babies, although there is the line Roberto Cavalli Baby, which are really cute. There is a sale on this line at the moment. It's not cheap because they are designer and I tend to look at their sale items to get good quality clothes but at that slightly cheaper price. They have an interesting scheme where you can pay off the clothes that you buy over a four week period, and I think this is to accommodate for the slightly higher prices.

I've recently been struggling to find Christmas presents for my niece, but when I visited…read moreStrawberry I've bought her some gorgeous gifts. The stylish boutique looks fab (I love their cute strawberry mouse) and has loads of clothes that were perfect for my niece. The staff were really helpful tool, I've been to other kids clothing stores recently and the service was nowhere near as helpful as strawberry's. I would recommend it to any one with fashion conscious kids.