This particular branch of Barnardos is dedicated to books and as such has an amazing selection. On…read moresunny days there are usually boxes of books displayed outside to entice bookworms in and it certainly did the job for me. Unlike other charity shop, this one if very well categorised and organised and it makes it easy to browse for the type of books that you're into. I spotted a few German books which I was seriously considering buying so I can brush up on my grammar but that's just nowhere near as fun as the cookery books that I spied. There were tonnes of cookery books from quick meals, elaborate gourmet dining recipes, cake recipes and many more mouth watering recipes on offer. Prices are very reasonable considering what many of the books would have cost brand new and most of them are in excellent condition, plus it's for a great cause.

This Barnado's store is their book shop, selling a huge variety of books at very reasonable prices…read more- generally around £2-3 a book. The staff are generally friendly and helpful and often quite knowledgeable. The fiction section to the left has a wide selection of books both old and new - a great place to pick up that latest bestseller or an unknown book by your favourite author. The shop is sensibly laid out with sections for science fiction, crime, biography, travel, Scottish books and children's books as well as by subject area. A real gem of a charity shop, you could easily spend a good hour and a great deal of money in there!

I love Mrs Smith!…read more It is a fabulous little boutique fashion store in the centre of the busy and bustling Morningside Road in Edinburgh, close to the city centre so very easy to get to. Mrs Smith sells really smart and sophisticated clothes for women. Most of their clothes are 'work' clothes, such as nice trousers and blouses, but there are also plenty of lovely dresses and skirts which are very summery. Mrs Smith is a relatively new addition to the Edinburgh fashion boutique seen as it opened last year. Personal stylists are available which is fantastic as they are able to assist you if you are unsure which colours go or what style of clothes suit your body shape. The clothes in this store are of excellent quality and will last for years, and as a result, they are a wee bit pricey. If I am ever looking for a lovely outfit to wear to work, Mrs Smith is my first and only port of call. Amazing.

For the fashion conscious lady with a sophisticated style, Mrs Smith ticks all the right boxes…read more Well presented clothing, well made and at reasonable prices with friendly staff ensures that a trip to Mrs Smith is always pleasant and enjoyable. As the other reviewers have mentioned, Mrs Smith clothes are especially good if you're looking for something smart but still fashionable for work. They have gorgeous blouses, jackets, suit trousers and other smart items of clothing all excellently tailored and flattering. In addition to smart clothing they also offer a selection of dresses and pretty tops that you could wear everyday or for more fun, formal occasions.

Lovely little jewellers which offers a surprisingly good (read quality) selection. 1 of only 2…read morejewellers licensed to sell Hearts on Fire diamonds in Scotland. Ive purchased a watch from here which they had to order in specifically and which they were v happy to do.

The Collectique is an antiques and collectors store in Falkirk's town centre. It's not huge, but…read moreit's always worth a wander around to see what treats they have - you're bound to find something unique. They have all kinds of things, from art and furniture to stamps and train sets. I recommend going in with an open mind and not much of a plan of what to buy, ready to find the unexpected. That said, the staff seem to know their stuff, so I suspect that if you wanted something specific they'd be able to help - either to sell you it themselves, or to point you to where else you might find it. I like their old, leather bound books and the costume jewellery, but the ornaments and little knick-knacks they have are always intriguing too. I suspect that wandering around in here to kill a few minutes is something that will turn into a habit for me now that I've found the place.

This is a bookshop that is able to offer a fairly wide selection of high quality books at fairly…read morereasonable and not too overblown prices that you might pay elsewhere for similar books. That said this isn't a bargain basement as it's not just a second hand section of a charity shop where whatever gets donated ends up on the shelves. These are specifically chosen books which are put on the shelf not because they happened to be the ones the shop manager happened to have on hand, but due to their quality. It is hard to describe the range of books on offer as there isn't a specific reason or rhyme I could pick up instead it generally covers all the main sections of interest with books you may not be familiar with, but which are obviously good books. As a shop to browse through it is a great shop as there is likely to be plenty to suit you and you could easily kill a few hours as you look through all the sections looking for a gem that captures your imagination.

Like Southside, Edinburgh Books and Old Town Bookshop, Aurora Books sells an interesting mix of…read morerare, secondhand and antiquarian books. Alongside first editions of Graham Greene and Charles Dickens, there's usually a good selection of poetry, biography, plays, history and travel. Prices are in keeping with other specialist bookshops and last time I visited, they had a fantastic exhibition guide for Yorkshire painter David Hockney.

Situated in a prominent position within the towns Kinsgate shopping centre this jewellers carries a…read morelarge range of watches and ladies jewellery. they also have a good range of pens. they offer a jewellery repair service which has a fast turnaround service. I took a ring to be repaired and re sized. The actual repair took only a few days which i thought was very fast considering that the repair was not done on the premises. the only complaint that i had was the resizing. my finger was measured before the ring was sent away but on collection I tried the ring on and it was two sizes too big. this resulted in it having to be sent away again for the error to be corrected. this aside i woudl recommend this a a good place for a good choice of jewellery

Dreadful. Forgotten i think all about customer focus and service…read more As many parent i was looking to compare rough cost of uniform for my children between Clan house and Aitken and Niven - not in working hours as i work. However Clan House do not make that easy. A quick internet search gave all the info on Aitken and Niven prices however with Clan house you can not even see the uniform unless you email register - not a quick email account and password set up - oh no - the full bhuna. Child's name, date of birth, inside leg measurement, chest measurement, neck........... You get the picture and unfortunately i jest not. All i wanted was a quick look see. Clearly all useful info if i want to buy - but not to have an option to bypass this just to look? Why not? Makes me suspicious i am afraid as certainly not helpful to me a prospective customer - are they enhancing their revenue by getting details and selling on? I wonder. Certainly not got the customer in mind. Ridiculous.

Clan House sells both city and private school uniforms. They feel less stuffy than their main…read morecompetitor Aitken and Niven and in our experience the staff have always been knowledgable and helpful. We have also found their blazers to be very good quality - lasting more than one hard-wearing child! While we have been into Aitken and Niven and have found many things not to have a price tag on them our experience at Clan House has been that their products are clearly priced. Also, in our experience, Clan house carries a much wider array of products. (Including blazers and ties for City of Edinburgh schools unlike A&N). Overall, the service, quality and variety of choice at Clan House puts them ahead of the game. We have been very happy with them and they are our preferred uniform supplier.

If you are looking for some gorgeous jewellery, look no further than Alchemia Jewellers!…read more Situated on Thistle Street, Alchemia Jewellers is right in the centre of the New Town area of Edinburgh and it is just around the corner from the main shopping street, Princes Street, and so it is a convenient place to reach. As Stephanie has already pointed out, Alchemia is not your average jewellers, it sells super unique and unusual jewellery that you would be hard pushed to find anywhere else. All of their jewellery is made really precious metals and jewels. They had one necklace in their window which really caught my attention - it had a massive emerald stone in the centre surrounded by diamonds - amazing! Alchemia also do engagement rings and wedding jewellery, which are all completely amazing. All their items are expensive, but they are excellently made and are unique so you are guaranteed that no one else will have one. I can't wait until I can afford to buy some of their gorgeous jewellery, or meant someone who will buy it for me!!

This little jewellers isn't just your ordinary high street store…read more It offers a fantastic bespoke service, designing a piece of jewellery for you to your specified design using materials of your choice. It would be perfect for an engagement or wedding ring, adding a bit of individuality to your choice. They also sell unique and beautiful jewellery already made, but all hand made by the jewellers who own the store. They are expensive but very unique and definitely for a special occasion. Just make sure you ring before you visit, I have heard appointments need to be made.