A really fantastic selection of baby and children's items - this store stocks everything from kids…read moreoutfits to prams and cots. This store is located half way down Castle street, it has a more personal feel to it in contrast to the big chain children's shops in town. They seem to stock all the essentials for a new born baby, the place is jam packed with Cots (both traditional and modern) and prams. All the prams are at ground level so you can give them a good test. Really modern store inside with the all the major baby brands stocked.

Pricewise Kids Store is another of those independent baby shops which I cant help going into to…read morehave a nosy. They are often overpriced but their stock is generally different and funky! Pricewise, as the name suggests, is slightly different. They focus more on cheaper prices and cheaper stock. Which is quite refreshing to an extent. They have all the usual items, such as clothing, blankets, sheets, toys (good for Christmas), prams, highchairs, etc etc. And I must say that the majority of stuff is pretty good and very nice. I was surprised however to see one large section of the bottom floor devoted to Halloween costumes, but I guess kids have to get costumes somewhere, so why not here. Certainly worth a wee visit for essentials and gifts!

Having 4 nephews and soon to be 3 nieces it's sometimes tough to find an original present or…read moresomething I haven't got another one of them in the past. This year I thought I would wander off the well-worn High Street and in to St Georges Market to see if I could find something quirky and cool that would not only impress the little ones but also make my sisters smile. When I came across the Tee and Toast stall I immediately knew I had found what I was looking for, they have a range on kiddies clothes and accessories with locally inspired images and phrases (see my bib pic). The lady manning the stall was as bright and bubbly as the clothes on display and she helped me choose the 'Bout Ye Belfast' bib that's sure to get a chuckle form the latest member of my ever expanding family. They are based at St Georges Market on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday but also have an online store that I will be definitely be visiting for Christmas presents for the big and small members of the family. It's refreshing to see our local culture and landmarks being displayed in such a positive and humorous way.

This is a pretty well known wee homewares and knick-knack shop with an excellent location right in…read morethe middle of town. Now, I'm not a big fan of this kind of place, my sister used to drag me to Habitat all the time and it fostered nothing but resentment in my soul for scented candles and picture frames. That is not to say that this place is not bad at what it does. It seems to be quite cheap to me but that being said I don't buy this kinda stuff all that often. There were an awful lot of signs up that said the likes of '50% off' or 'Sale' so I think this the kind of place you could go to get a bargain. Also, the staff were dead on enough when I called in here. They were friendly and polite without being too pushy or in your face.

This branch of the popular Au Naturele brand is one of two of the stores in the city centre…read more They sell homewares and random little things that you probably don't need but are nice anyway. Au Naturele certainly won't burn a hole in your pocket and you may even come away with a bargain or two. A nice place to pick up some fancy soaps or candles for your mum or aunt.

Exquisite is in the "I wish" category of gift shops. "I wish" I could afford these beautiful gifts,…read more"I wish" I had someone to buy that scented paperweight for, "I wish" I knew why I never thought of going to Exquisite for so and so...and the list goes on. One "I wish" that has been a possibility, and indeed a reality, is "I wish" I could have a peep in Exquisite sometime. This came to be a couple of months back, and again two days ago. Oooh goody. Exquisite really could not have a more appropriate name. The shop oozes style and glamour, its stunning gift and jewellery range exuding charm. With names such as Couer de Lion, Shira, Pilgrim and Jackie Brazil jewellery all featuring in the jewellery section, you know this is going to be snazzy stuff. I love the fancy belts and buckles - cowhides, gems, embellishments galore. The kids clothing range is absolutely gorgeous, and would make a really special gift for a little 'un. Exquisite also stocks incredibly diverse gifts, from Lilly Flame candles to Dora designs scented paper weights, from East of India ribbon to umbrellas and lampshades. There is certainly plenty to choose from. One final "I wish". I wish I could buy the whole shop...

I really do like this shop. It's lovely for a browse or to pick up some small item like a nice…read moredesigner piece of wrapping paper or a funky little card. The only problem I have with Exquisite is that it is too expensive. They sell the most darling little outfits for babies and toddlers as well as gorgeous little unique books and toys but be prepared to pay through the nose for the bits and bobs baby will grow out of very fast. I recently picked up a cool little outfit in the sales for a new born baby and was chuffed that it was reduced way way down to £5.00. I also bought my nephew a little wooden trike designed like a cow. it is totally beautiful but completely impractical as the wheels are so spinning the wee man nearly crashes every time he gets on - obviously not the shops fault but it is being sold for aged one!? anyways, they also sell Pilgrim jewelry and lovely hair pieces for that special occasion - just be prepared to dig deep into the old wallet.

I'm always in Dunelm at least once a week either buying something or having a cuppa…read more It's a fab store with pretty much anything household and lots of variety including curtains, bed linen and kitchen items. Very reasonable and good quality. The coffee shop has a nice quiet ambience and it's always easy to get a seat. I regularly meet with friends here because you can have a proper conversation. I think people forget about here because there are other coffee places in and around Abbey centre and this is a little out of the hustle and bustle. Decent variety of simple hot/ cold snacks and drink available. The staff are friendly too which is always welcome anywhere.

Dunelm mill is a one stop shop for all your household furnishing needs and is the perfect place to…read morego if you are looking for a few bits and pieces for your house. I came across this place when I was looking for a bean bag. I had seen one on tv and decided there and then that my life was not complete without one. So after going to the usual haunts like IKEA etc. I came here and was amazed by the sheer scale of the shop. Heaton's does everything from soup spoons to door mats, and there is a good selection of everything it ventures to sell. I would advise this place to anyone who is looking to shop but for nothing in particular.

I really like The Works, you can pick up all sorts of interesting books here for a bargain price,…read morethey are arranged out by category like they would in a library, children's section, thriller, local history, cookery, reference books etc. They also stock a wide range of craft goods, such as easels, all types of paint and paintbrushes, scrapbooks, stickers, wool, needles, you name it! The Works is a good shop for giftware too, for example if you have secret Santa, there are loads of fun items, themes such as Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Hello Kitty, and more. This is actually one of the nicer The Works stores I've been in, it's not too crammed as some others are, and is easy to navigate without knocking things over!

This is a great wee shop inside connswater shopping centre. There are a vast selection of books…read morethere are every book you can imagine in this shop, I like the cookbooks as I like to bake at home , most of my cookbooks are from here and theres lots to choose from and the prices are decent too. The works also sell children's books and children's toys and sweeties at the till. Theres a small craft selection which has a good selection of boxes ec to keep your crafting supplies in. If your an artist theres a brilliant selection of canvas's and paints and brushes even charcoals and pastels. Theres a great selection here for anyone into painting. Also a selection of DVDs, calendars and diarys. Theres gift sets and gadgets in store. Shop is always crammed and well filled with stock!

Ardis is the type of store that provides me with an Ikea moment, where you walk in and would just…read morelove to point at one of their display rooms and ask them to just pack it up and ship it to your place. Everything in here is fantastic. Importantly, everything seems to be within the same sort of style (don't ask what style!) which means everything in the store seems to go with everything else. There are a number of these stores across N. Ireland, but as far as I can tell this is the only one in Belfast and one of the most recent additions to their expanding brand. The stuff is quite pricey and if you fancy it pricier still, they also run a design studio.

Is there one of these awesome stores in every little town in Co. Down? There blooming well should…read morebe! How I wish I were a child again (I notice I'm saying that a lot these days) What a magical feeling it must be to climb the stairs of Stewart Miller's and know that you are basically going into Santa's grotto - have you ever seen so many toys shoved and stacked into one top floor - I haven't I can tell ye! Not only is it toy heaven upstairs but downstairs is like a child's dream - sweets, chocolate, crisps and wrapping paper - well, they ahve to stock something for adults! Seriously though, if you need a newspaper, your lotto, a card, a fine nibbed marker in florescent green, a book on horses or a tub of Roses then this is the place for you. Make sure you spend over a fiver if you want to use your debit card though as they won't take it unless you do. Stewart Miller I salute you.

One of my favourite shops in newtownards, all the childhood memories of getting a new subbuteo team…read moreor some sweets and the latest beano mag, then the dreaded stationary shop at the end of the summer holidays to the present day browsing books and looking at toys for my son and gifts for others. Its remained unchanged and that's because Stewart millers works so well and has got something to offer everyone. Christmas time is great in Stewart millers too and its one of the best shops in ards.