This place is a dreeeeam and I'm even hesitant to review it on here in case it becomes too 'known'…read more But I guess any publicity is good publicity for the business owners, right?! Think gorgeous French antiques, refurbished furniture and oodles of atmosphere. I would buy anything and everything, had I the money to do so. If you follow them on Facebook you can see what new items they have arriving in store. You can often find second-hand authentic Tolix chairs, industrial-style lights and shades and gorgeous, reasonably-priced vintage bottles. They hire out furniture too - perfect if you've got a function coming up or even just want extra seating at home over busy periods like Christmas.

This place defines 'local knowledge'. It's so hidden, I walked past it everyday for a year and…read moredidn't know it was there. When I eventually discovered it, I was so excited. Filled with French antique delights, its like a Parisian treasure trove. There are tables, chairs, huge lights, rustic medicine bottles, and cabinets packed with hundreds of gems. Loads of cafes like 'Foxtrot' have their antiques as their café furniture and if had my own house, I know where I'd be heading to fit it out. When I talked to the shop assistant he said that they also hire out the outdoor tables and chairs for functions. They would be perfect for weddings.

Whoa what a cool store- this store is what I would like my future apartment to look like with it's…read morecool vintage mix and match-ness of random objects and no rhyme or reason organisation that somehow just works. So many cool things to browse- it's like a garage sale combined with an op shop with a high end vintage store housed in a big warehouse. Has kitchen things, furniture, clothing, handy-man DIY knobs and pretty much anything under the sun as well as commercial products. Well worth a look!

We went here today in search of a desk, and sadly, didn't find one. Well, we did, but it kind of…read morehad a SOLD sticker hanging off it, and when we enquired as to whether it was actually sold (since the sticker looked old and was hanging on by a corner), no one seemed to know, or wanted to find out. We had a look around anyway, and this place is a hipster's paradise. Most of it is genuinely old, and slightly overpriced. I got two sewing patterns for $2 apiece (and they weren't even that great), and other op shops are selling them for around 50 cents each. We also grabbed a couple of spanners for $2 each, and I got some zips and piping for another $2. There is a large section of stuff that isn't secondhand and is brand new, and is extremely expensive. I saw a set of double bed sheets with foxes on them for $214. I know foxes are "in" right now, but seriously. Obviously very much taking advantage of the whole "vintage vibe" that people are loving right now, and good on them I guess, but I was looking for genuinely old, unfashionable secondhand stuff, and of that there just wasn't that much, sadly.

This is the old man of the Valley Road part of Mt Eden, having been around since 1971. I remember…read moreit having a reputation for being grossly overpriced and the service a little, shall we say, sharp. David Brettell was quite the character and of course the collectors still came. The younger family members now run the shop (and used to be my mum's neighbours) and happily the pricing is more realistic. There's still the appointment-only furniture shop next door which always has some lovely pieces but for scavenger shoppers like me, the treasures are in the overflowing main shop. There's a lot of china, silverware and glassware but you'll also find trunks, artworks, costume jewellery, buttons and random objects. What's really great about Antique Alley is that it's not an op-shop pretending junk is special stuff. It DOES have special stuff. To me it's an Auckland icon and embodiment of what a "proper" antiquities shop should be.

This antiques store has so much character. From the first moment you walk in, you get a whiff of…read moreancient and expensive things; much like the old smell you would get if you were to venture into your grandparents storage room. It is almost impossible to find what you are actually looking for in this store, it literally has so much stuff piled on top of so much stuff that I doubt even the owner would be able to locate a specific item. The dazzling glare of shiny trinkets and silverware is almost overwhelming (seriously so much silverware!). And just when you think you have reached the end of the shop, a small right turn comes out of nowhere and takes you into yet another room filled with antique goods. Everything here seemed to be so expensive in my opinion, but I know nothing about the price of old collectables. I just had a good time getting lost in this shiny wonderland.

Antiques of Epsom is a cluttered adventure store for people who like antiques. The have a mélange…read moreof exciting items to browse through including silverware, china, art bottles and cameras, instead of the usually sparse selection of bulky furniture. Most pieces have a descriptive tag attached or knowledgeable staff members nearby. I was disappointed by the way a staff member gouged at a fob watch with a butter knife when I visited recently but the shop is so much fun to browse I can't help but return, especially as I have my eye on a great pewter beer mug. Finding a deliciously old, dusty volume or conversational piece is easy in this comfortable antique store.

Tick, tock, tick, tock, BONG, BONG, BONG, BONG!…read more All those sounds you associate with a mansion-like house or perhaps the Nutcracker, the Labyrinth or Cinderella, as the clock strikes 12 and everything either comes together or falls apart. Much the same as reality, this is either a soothing or annoying sound, but Parnell Time is one of those grand places you have to browse around regardless of whether 'cuckoo' means something to you or not. This is simply because they have a great collection of clocks, watches and jewellery, and also do repairs for your much-loved piece of time. It's everything you want for a grand gesture in your house, or just something practical to keep track of the hours. Being Parnell, it is indeed pricey. Go to the $ store if you want something cheap that will fall apart easily. If you want an heirloom, this is the place to go.

Paid hundreds of dollars for an overhaul of an antique watch, but the watch came back with an…read moreintermittent fault. The new winder he installed gets stuck in, so you can't change the time. The guy was told about it, he told us to pull it really hard. The fault kept happening, so we took it back. He's now had the watch for months, and today when I called him up, he denied any knowledge of the fault that he's already seen, and when I said that wasn't good enough, I got a lovely tirade of aggressive abuse. It's a shame when you have to tell a grown man to stop yelling at you. I expect this will end up in small claims, but unless you enjoy wasting money and being treated like dirt, I'd keep well away from this cowboy.

I was wondering the Cheltenham shops on Saturday arvo and this place was a pretty cool find…read more Cheltenham Curiosity Shop is a small local shop that sells a range of antiques from chandeliers, tables, couches, lamps to vinyl records, used postcards and other bits and bobs.

A cute little store with some interesting collectables​. If you like preserving a few memories from…read morepre-plastic​​ times, there are plenty on offer. We left with a few under our arms!

For the longest time, Flotsam + Jetsam was crammed into a little Richmond Road shop. Packed to the…read morerafters with taxidermy, quirky crockery and other curios, Cameron and the team quickly outgrew this place and moved up to the cute but dilapidated Lord Ponsonby Antiques building on the corner of Williamson Ave an Ponsonby Road. The name of this business is quite apt - it's really cool to see really cheap and strange items alongside really expensive European lamps, handpainted crockery and the odd bit of furniture. If you're heading to the new premises, don't be afraid to walk around the back and head up the stairs. It can sometimes look like an area customers aren't supposed to go, but if you go up top, there are two more rooms full of larger items like tables and chairs... and a big bowl of free matchbooks!

This is one of those awfully deceptive places that you think you are going to get a bargain at…read morecause everything looks really old, and then you check the price tag and its like sucker! You can't afford alla this. Which is true but dreams are free right. They have some beautifully restored furniture pieces like this amazing set of drawers I see whenever I close my eyes. I honestly though just like coming in here for inspiration for my flat. The owner of the shop has a refined eye for sure. This is one of those shops that people can see very differently aesthetic wise ( take my partner for example who still remains puzzled as to why people want to buy such junk) After all, one mans 'junk' is another's treasure!

Dianna and Bruce have a great deal of knowledge and experience with jewellery and gold soveriegns…read moreand other types of collectibles. They are also very trust worthy

I found Abbey Antiques the best place to come to when the girls and I were looking for 21st…read morebirthday gifts for our friends. These vintage pieces are just so stunning and classic, they're never going to date and they're something stunning you can have with you for years to come. They have a large range of beautiful jewelry and watches; they also have some antique furniture, records, china and much more. It's not a very big store but there is still A LOT to be fascinated by and look at. The prices here range from inexpensive to quite expensive, but that's what you need to expect from gorgeous vintage pieces. If you're looking for something a little different from your usual mainstream items, pop in here and check it out, there are some real beauties.