Cheap shoes. Cheap dresses. Cheap appliances. Maybe it's…read morebecause we don't have K Mart back home, but I get excited to go here when I'm back in NZ. This is my go to spot when I need some quick supplies visiting my in laws. Forgot my jandals? No problem. $7 at KMart. Need some new swimmies? Cheap ones here that aren't ridiculous. Need new summery dresses for cheap? Yep. Golden. And then grab a cheap kapiti on the way out the door and your life is made.

I absolutely love Kmart for extremely obvious reasons. Not only do they have great bargains here,…read morebut they have almost anything you could want (although let's not get technical) and they are open until midnight- just three reasons there, but isn't that enough? The Botany Downs Kmart is my favourite. It's massive and I love exploring this place (although I do come here at least once a fortnight). The staff are great here, I'm always greeted when I arrive and when I leave and they're always nearby if i need to ask of something. Kmart is great for buying clothes to lounge around the house in at a cheap price and the occasional baking utensil (I just can't resist sometimes). My last visit had me going home with some new lounge trackies for $15 and 6 pairs of socks for $6- a really good bargain if you ask me. This Kmart also has the self-checkout service with handy hanger bins, and I definitely prefer to buy my items this way when I've only got a couple of items. Working in retail, I've seen Kmart sell similar styles they have in malls for a fraction of the cost and usually Kmart has better quality. Just goes to show that it's not always about brands and quality doesn't always have to mean a high price.

I'd always walked past this shop thinking it was either really expensive, or would have really…read moresmall sizes. One day on a shopping trip with a friend I did actually walk in, to find both these assumptions were unwarranted. The clothes were reasonable and there was some really cool stuff reduced. I found a really cute jumpsuit which was on sale for $25 - you can't complain about that (even if they are rather difficult when you need to go to the bathroom)! So the jumpsuit is now in my wardrobe. My friend also got a couple of really nice, dressy tops ( suitable for a night out or work). Range Gal was a worthwhile stop on our shopping trip.

There are a few places along K'Road that have brought the area out of its bohemian past and into…read morethe edgy, high fashion present; Children of Vision is one such store. Nestled in the heart of the always-inviting St Kevin's Arcade, Children of Vision is the home of little-known brands that will liven up your wardrobe; the price isn't always right, but the tags on the clothes reflect the hard work and craftsmanship that's gone into the pieces on sale at CoV. Founded by clothing designer James Dobson, whose label Jimmy D rests among Children of Vision's racks, this store is one of the few places in Auckland you can pick up Azumi & David, Pleasure Principle and Underground Sundae, all under one crisp, white roof.

Vintage doesn't get any better than Tango…read more The best thing about Tango is that there quite literally isn't a single thing in the shop that hasn't been hand picked because it's beautiful and high quality. There's a definite aesthetic to the stock - a sort of campy, tongue-in-cheek take on glamour - that you'll most likely love if you're into vintage. Tango is hands down the best place in town to get your hands on designer and name-brand vintage that's in top condition, but there are also less expensive items, like costume jewellery and handbags. Not to be overlooked, the service at Tango is perfect - it's always a comfortable browsing experience, but the guy who works there is really knowledgeable about clothes and is very helpful if you're looking for something in particular. In short: Tango should be your first destination for impressive vintage dresses and accessories.

This is the sort of place where I can imagine Greta Garbo just chilling out on a chaise lounge,…read moreclassily smoking a ciggarette and blowing smoke rings into unsuspecting customers eyes. You can see why this store is known as one of Aucklands best vintage stores, because the stuff sold here is actually vintage. Not just ugly stuff people dont want anymore. It is a veritable treasure trove of antique things I instantly craved. Court shoes, fur stoles, dresses so authentic they look like they could even have mothholes (they dont, dont worry) Though the guy working there could probably take a lesson in customer service, I was just taking a photo and he near about booted me out. How rude.

Eum is quite a hit and miss shop with me - sometimes I find it is filled with great pieces that all…read morefit really nicely and hence stress me out terribly when I have to decide what to buy, but other times I find a lot of the stock just kind of cheap and tacky looking and not worth the price tag whatsoever. I do however think it is a good shop to just pop in to and have a look at whenever I have time going down High Street, as I never know what I might find. Unfortunately a lot of the stock is made from polyester, which is generally a big fat nein for me, but there are also a few things made out of slightly more breathable fabrics. The service is never overly friendly; I seem to get a 'hi' and thats about it whenever I walk in, but the merchandising is generally quite nice and usually is what lures me into the shop in the first place.

I can't believe they still exist! They went out of business in the states, but here's One still up…read moreand running in New Zealand! This one was attached to a shopping mall, so ran like a department store, like a sears in the states . It was a smaller scale compared to the ones that used to be freestanding back home . It was pretty nice with a wonderful selection of household goods and clothing . It reminded me a lot of the ones we had back home in the early 2000s. The prices have definitely gone up though ! They had a similar selection of what they used to have at their old locations, but at a more modern price haha!

Kmart is the anchor store for this Westfield branded mall! Never in a million years would I assume…read moreKmart being an anchor store for a mall. As an American, Kmarts are almost all shuttered in the US. I've heard that Kmart in New Zealand and Australia are considered nice, in the way that Americans see Target as "nice." I'd say this target is maybe 1/2 or 1/3 of the size of a US Kmart. The main section seems to be for clothing, and then home decor items. I noticed there were quite a bit of items for social media, like ring lights and phone stands, and colourful strip lights. I noticed most of the items were house branded / generic items. I'm not familiar with the quality of these items but they were on pretty much everything. There isn't much of a snack section or toys or practical items for the home that I saw. Visited February 2023

This is a nice spacious shop with plenty of parking and a cafe next door! Perfect…read more This shop sells awesome clothing - it has a whole stack of the Federation range (today I discovered a tshirt in a colour that wasn't even listed on their own online store; and which I now can't stop thinking about). Today I discovered they even stock that super cool label Wild Fox here. Lush. One day when I have heaps of money I'm gonna buy heaps of that and wear it to Coachella. I found the staff friendly and they put a clothing item I was wanting to try on in the changing room for me while I continued to browse. I did spot an amazing cat sweater for sale too (brand was Mr Gugu and Miss Go). Basically if you are after some awesome clothing , chances are you'll find something at Laundromat.

This store is a very recent discovery for me and I'm worried that now I've found it, I'm going to…read moreend up spending all of my money in here. They just have everything I've been looking for. Grey sweater: check. Doc Martens: check. Nice colours of Vans: check. They stock labels like Federation and Wildfox that I haven't seen in many other stores around the city, so you know you're almost guaranteed to be the only person wearing anything you buy in here. It's by no means a cheap store but all of the clothes are really well made and they're really different to items you'd find in chain stores. The store itself has a whole warehouse vibe to it and is really spacious with exposed brick walls and concrete floors. I love the fact that it's got a kids section, they've got some really cool printed tees and dresses that I kind of want for myself! Really must try to keep myself out of this place.

Cody is perhaps the best high-end fashion store around the Vulcan Lane/ O'Connell St for sharp,…read morediscerning gentlemen. The service, the selection, the quality- it's stunning and just-so. In a stroke of genius, the coat hangers are marked with what sizes are available, instead of chaotic racks and cluttered shelves. Already they are stocked with some great Autumn/ Winter numbers, especially shirts from the Italian Poggianti brand. The staff member was so astute, and yet casual in his demeanor, I couldn't fault him. I forgot we had service like that in menswear stores in Auckland. Well worth the short walk from Queen St to experience the premium fashion of this exceptional little store.

A little store that's been around for a long time. Cody's is an owner run affair that stocks a…read morecolorful range of European fashion for men who like something a little different. Due to its size, only one or two garments are pieces are available in each size. The service is always friendly and as a result it's fun to shop here.