It was nice to see such a lovely little shop pop up in Birkenhead, since, let's face it, the…read moreshopping area itself is a bit down-at-heel. Crave and a few other little cutesy boutiques are giving this shopping centre a new spark of life, which is fantastic. From the outside the shop is very enticing, with a great mix of funky homewares and a few gift items thrown in the mix. My personal opinion is this shop is a bit over-priced though. I picked up a few items to see the price tag and almost immediately set them back down again. As cute as a box of stripey paper straws is, I'm not paying $12.50 for it. Perhaps if they got in a few reasonably priced options I'd be back.

Crave is a top quality home and gift store that is a new comer to the classic Birkenhead shops…read more Located at the corner of Mokoia Rd in Birkenhead, you will be in for a delightful shopping experience at this stylish boutique. They are award winning as of 2012 receiving a retail excellence award- so enough stated really. If you wondering what to buy a friend or family member who seems to have everything and anything. You might be lucky in finding a few special pieces in this original gift and home store. Stylish cushions and jewellery are my fave's here, because they have flair and style and standout with oomph! The staff are friendly and will help with your needs, all you need to do is call out. If you have found that perfect pressie they will also wrap it up to look gorgeous darling! A real shopping experience with class and sophistication.

The store sign says Japanese souvenirs and gifts but there's definitely more to this store than…read morethat. I am a huge trinket and ornament person and if I had infinite funds to spend on junk my house would be filled with... well, crap. Cool crap that is. The kind of dinky stuff you find in this shop. Quaint little ornaments, cool wall hangings and some cool Kiwiana stuff. The prices are pretty inexpensive. I know there are some places where you pay an arm and a leg for some plain wood thing to hang on the wall but here everything seems pretty tame. Besides that though there's nothing particularly special about this place but it's definitely worth a nosy if you're wondering past.

Great gift shop with so much packed in to this small store. The owners are friendly & willing to…read moreorder in stock if you have something special in mind. Lots of handcrafted knicknacks, signs, ornaments, along with all the typical kiwi souveniers. Definitely give this place a go if you need ideas for gifts.

This is the best photo framing I have come across. I have been using this business for many many…read moreyears and the art I have framed over the years is still looking good. Yuan is professional and precise and will bend over backwards to make sure the customer is satisfied. One act of goodwill worth mentioning - on several occasions over the years I have gone in to the shop with something small and Yuan has not accepted payment - unheard of. I will always recommend this business as being the best of the best

This is my number one stop for any framing that I need for new photos that I have printed…read more I first found The Astrolabe through a friend's referral, and since that day have returned on numerous occasions to find that perfect sized frame for the wall. I have a few astrolabe frames on the wall at home, and they are sturdy and stylish looking, giving the pictures life and elegance. Great staff, always helpful with any queries you may have for your picture frames, helping you with laminating and repairs as well. If your keen a photographer and call this a hobby, why not try out a frame to complement your work like I did, I was really impressed. I know that there is a film/camera store close by however the frames they have are no comparison to the Astrolabe Gallery.

Before I developed my love for independant bookstores, Whitcoulls was my go-to for Christmas…read morepresents. A book (or board game, if I was feeling generous) for each family member and I was done. Despite being a chain, they've got a relatively good selection and the staff that i've interacted with seem to like and read a number of them, which is always a plus. Whitcoulls of course, also have stationery, magazines and a small selection of puzzles too. If you desperate for a gift, they're a one stop shop that's often open late but personally, now that we've got our own independent bookstore in Milford, The Booklover, I'd much rather support them and get a recommendation that's sure to wow!

I am all about independent bookstores these days and this one is an absolute gem! Doris, who owns…read morethe store is kind, knowledgable and most importantly passionate about books. When I last went in they didn't have the book I was after (City of Thieves by David Benioff - if you haven't already, you should read it - it's fantastic!) but were happy to order it in. They are also happy to host other people's book clubs after-hours complete with wine and sweet treats for FREE, which I think is pretty cool! Doris goes through some of the new and interesting books they have in-store and then you share with you B.C comrades what you have been reading of late. Book swaps are also allowed! I think it's important that we support small independant stores like this and am happy to make the extra trip over the bridge to do so!

I'm into a lot of historical books, so this book store isn't one of my favourites. However, I do…read moreadmire all independent bookshops like this one that still operate, especially when it's so easy to get stuff online. This bookshop in particular has a great selection of cookbooks and children's books, which means it's perfect for gifts. They seem to keep pretty up to date with all the latest new releases, and they can also order something in for you if they don't have it in stock. One of the bonuses of coming to a bookstore like this one is that you get good service and advice from the person who knows a lot about the products that she sells. Definitely ask if you are stuck for gift ideas.

I swear this place has gone from dinky trinkets to bonafide cool stuff !…read moreGone are the pens and lap top covers (tho they still have those )and IN are quirkily printed plates and mugs AND duvet covers . With cool and on trend prints , this would be my go to if I suddenly had a need to do a room make-over . They are run through the Cotton On brand , so some stuff can be a cheap like . A cool place to check out .

I don't normally have a stationery fetish. I don't like looking at pens, staplers, paper clips or…read morestickers for any amount of time in a normal shop. Well, then they opened Typo. An awesome joint, they not only sell good quality, good priced stationery, but also cheap as chips notebooks which read 'Happier than a bird with a french fry' and other such larks. They sell mugs (Try Snoopy showing his muscles with the inscription 'Check out dem puppies'), paintings (mostly lovely french styles), vintage items (a classy looking cord phone with a dial - yes, a dial! So quaint!), cardboard speakers, ornaments (owls are the latest fetish) and other such lovely things you couldn't hope to find in another store. The Sylvia Park Typo is the best one to visit if you live out east, and is a great place to buy presents. The store members are kind, helpful and offer you a little basket if you have your hands full.

Gone West is quite small for a second hand bookshop, which I guess can be a good thing because then…read morethe thought of where to start browsing is a bit less overwhelming. They have a lot of quite old books, and even had a stack of magazines all from the 1960's to 80's which were pretty interesting to have a nosey through. Most of the smaller books go for around 15 dollars if they aren't damaged, and the larger ones for a bit more. There is also a lot of New Zealand orientated reading material on offer, particularly some new books about the local area, such as 'West' and 'Colin McCahon the Titirangi Years'. The owner, Murray, was quite clued up about all of the books he had on offer and I'm sure if you were after something in particular then he would easily be able to help you out.

This is Auckland's best (and probably biggest) second hand bookstore. It's musty in a good "old…read morebooks" kind of way, and sprawling and welcoming at the same time. Set over two floors of one of Onehunga's old buildings, it's like a house full of books. Most rooms have a comfy old chair or two for reading, and visitors are encouraged to sit and do just that. The subject range is huge and varied, and the prices are of course, excellent. The staff are knowledgeable and will point you in the right direction if you are after something in particular. Which is helpful because if you haven't been here before you could get lost and never come back out. Sadly Onehunga has been on the decline in the last few years despite there being a number of really great businesses here. I would recommend coming for lunch at Luscious, followed by a fossick at the Hard to Find and then checking out Look Sharp Discount Store. This historic Auckland suburb has suffered from mismanagement for too long now but as while these unique places cling on, it's still worth a visit - there is so much character and potential.

What do you buy for the person who has everything? Something fun, interesting or ridiculous;…read moresomething they've never seen before. Hard To Find Bookstore is the place to go for the person who has everything - spend enough time in amongst the weird little nooks and crannies and you're bound to find something for that awkward person who requires a gift. Ohe of my most lovely memories of Hard To Find Bookstore was a Christmas morning, when the small family of academics I was sharing breakfast with handed out presents. All three of them had bought each other gifts from Hard To Find, and all were so appreciative of their gifts. Some of the books still had their HTF price tags pencilled inside but nobody cared - gift-giving isn't always about how much it costs, but how much it means. And to these bookworms, the gifts were priceless.