One of my most favourite stores in Brisbane, the Oxfam shop is a wonderful, ethical stop on your…read morenext shopping trip. The store is run by volunteers and all of the profits from sales within the store supports Oxfam's charity endeavours both locally and globally. In store you'll find a huge range of beautiful handcrafted items from across the globe, fair trade coffee and treats, a range of books including children's titles and cookbooks, beautiful home wares, toys, various apparel items, gift cards that support numerous causes (the 'Oxfam Unwrapped' range and tax deductible), jewellery, and Cd's. You will always find something unique and original here. The prices in store range from fairly cheap to moderately expensive, but it's well worth it.

I love, love the stuff Oxfam Shop carries, and I appreciate the fact that they do fair trade and…read moresome of the items are handmade. I was fortunate to be the recipient of a gift certificate to Oxfam, and after going in a couple times (and leaving empty handed), I finally picked out a "secret" jewerlly box (the secret is in how to unlock/lock it). It's a beautifully carved wooden box, with velvet lining the inside. The staff here has always been pleasant and I didn't feel any sort of urgency in this small shop.

It's hard to walk by a book store that has a 'Vampire' genre right next to their 'Sci fi' section…read more I understand that book publishers have oversaturated the market with vampire stories but it's playing into their hands when we acknowledge it's a genre. Next I would like to see a section specifically for books under the category 'Fallen angel with brooding werewolf best friend'. Once I got over my facetiousness, I did actually manage to find some good books in here. These books are cheap - there are some great hard cover kids books under $10. They may not stock as wide a range as Dymocks so you may be annoyed if you come in here for a specific book. In these situations, what I like to do is browse the shelves and pick any book based on its jacket description and the opening line of the story. It may not be the book you came in for but you may discover a new favourite book.

Yet another book store having what seems to be a neverending sale. It's hard to come to terms with…read morethe idea that people just don't buy books anymore. They download them instead. We've traded in the smell of books, the satisfying feeling of turning a fresh page, building libraries in our loungerooms, and lending our latest great read to friends all so we can experience tired, scratchy eyes caused from staring at a screen for too many hours at the wrong angle, the irritating repetition of scrolling down or clicking 'Next', and getting rid of our books. I will not conform to the future! Despite my obvious heartbreak over the demise of tangible literature, I do enjoy a good book sale. I don't believe the sale at Book Stars will ever end. The store is filled to the rim with books, and they are all at least half price. You can also get your hands on stuff that is vaguely related to books, like acrylic paint, photo frames, calendars and keyrings. It has the vibe of a $2 shop. They have your ever trendy orange penquin books on sale for $8.95 (I know, only a $1 off, but still!), and a killer range of recipe books. The stock doesn't look at all depleted as it should be with a sale of this scale on. If you're looking for a cheap book or gift, come here first. You'll find most of what you'd find at Dymocks or some other such store for at least half the price.

Not just another toy shop for kids. These toys are toys you don't usually see in any other…read moreeducational toy shop. They have those ribbons that you clip onto dummies to keep them from dropping on the floor from Germany. They have little animals on them, what a cool idea! They have toys from around the world, cool little replica cars for your boys... I know my son couldn't put them down. The prices aren't too crazy expensive either. What kids toy shop would stop a wooden puzzle of a Japanese sushi bento box? This one does. If you're looking to buy a gift for a birthday, or a special toy for your children that you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else, this is most likely the store for you. It's not a huge store, but it is jam-packed with crazy ideas for toys as gifts, accessories for kids, cooking sets made of wood, trains, train table sets and all of the above. I found the owners very knowledgeable about toy origins and the purpose for creating specific toys as well. My kids really liked this shop and I would definetly come back if I wanted to get something original to gift to someone for a birthday or for kids when they get older. Not a lot of toys are for newborns or babies, but the range is vast and I'm sure there is something for all mums and dads out there. This is a cool shop.

I love Growing World. I don't even know that many kids but I love Growing World. It's so different…read moreto many other toy shops out there - it reminds me of my own childhood. You will not find a Barbie or a Lego man here. It's all old-school and traditional, which I absolutely adore. They have a fantastic range of Playmobil sets, which I used to love, wooden dolls' houses, dressing up clothes and also wooden Brio train sets which I remember from pre-school. They have a great range of picture books and puppets - among my favourites are the legitimate Fraggle Rock puppets and the storybook puppets. 'There was an old lady who swallowed a fly' features amongst them and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I saw the toy, it was absolutely hilarious! An old lady with a big mouth into which the fly, spider, cow and assorted friends can be stuffed as the rhyme goes on... Makes you reassess what lessons we get taught by nursery rhymes as children...! Husband and wife owners Maria and Peter are absolute toy enthusiasts who travel the world visiting toy fairs and bringing back delights from all corners of the globe. They bring a natural flair and passion to their business, and can also be found at the Eumundi Markets and Eagle St Markets on Sundays. If you're looking for something different for someone small, look no further than Growing World.

This shop is like a cornucopia of strange little gifts, knick-knacks, cards, and bits'n'bobs…read more Exactly the kind of store you pop into in search of a birthday card for someone, and end up browsing amongst the eclectic gifts for at least half an hour. There was everything from teddy bears to photo frames; mugs and calendars to christening gifts; musical jewellery boxes to happy birthday banners. I can't lie and say everything was top notch, but I do recommend a potter if you've got time for a browse, or you have some time to kill while waiting for a bus. Like Mary Poppin's handbag, you never know what's going to come out of it...(or what you'll come out with!)

Whether you are looking for the last minute gift or just somewhere to browse through a kill some…read moretime while at the Brisbane Domestic Airport, then And Beyond is just the place to go. It is filled with those touristy trinkets and flight related gifts. What more could you want than a replica Virgin plane or pilot's cap, a Brisbane T-shirt, or perhaps just a koala teddy or two. I must admit I do like the pilot's hat and was a little bit sad it only came in kids sizes. They had a good selection of thongs (aka flip flops) available as well. The lady serving was a little bit surly but then again it was Christmas day when I was flying and no one really wants to be at work on Christmas Day at 6am in the morning, so I forgive her.

The EB Games store at Albert Street has recently moved a few doors up and expanded to be half an EB…read moreGames store and half a Zing Pop Culture store. This means that you can purchase games for all of the major consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo), in addition to purchasing pop culture items such as Pop Vinyl's, nerdy T-shirts, plush toys and a whole lot more. Like all other EB Games / Zing stores, you can earn points on purchases with the EB World card. You can also trade in your old games for a store credit towards other items in store. I highly recommend giving the store a visit if you are into gaming or pop culture in general (such as Game of Thrones, Doctor Who), or are addicted to Pop Vinyl's like myself.

Both my boy's always ask for games for birthdays and Christmas, and this store has always…read moredelivered. The staff are always so helpful and understanding. I even once ordered a game in for myself on the nintendo DS and the staff were really nice about it. :)

Go for your morning coffee and walk with the dog and find yourself falling down the rabbit hole of…read morea beautiful homewares store. Yep, just a regular Thursday. But no, seriously, this is the type of store I'd love to own when I'm done with this whole "career" business. Shop 51 is set in what feels like a secret pocket of Toowong. Just off Elizabeth St and down the neck of Bent Street you'll find this carefully curated (yes, I said curated and I meant it!) homewares, decor and ladies fashion (mostly Lazybones dresses which are stunning!). There's nothing haphazard about this locally owned and operated treasure chest. From Mrs Darcy's candles to trendy pineapple statuettes and a small kids section including some toy dinosaurs I've got my eye on, this boutique has gifts for you, gifts for friends and family and that little something to brighten your day (or your home's). Best of all? You'd think everything in the store would send you home broke but you'd be wrong. So very wrong. Everything that I spied was so reasonably priced which, is refreshing, and to be truthful, makes me excited to support such a fantastic local business. When you're tired out from all your shopping, pop next door to Nowhere Espresso to grab a coffee or tea. You'll need it for round two!

Handmade High Street throws together some really great local crafters and creators of all things…read morepretty and fun. The first things that caught my eye was a crocheted rose-shaped brooch with quite a few other similar ones to keep it company. I found delight in the handmade jewellery and recycled accessories including hairpins made out of old buttons and old teacups being transformed into candle holders, which is something I would never have thought to do. They also had one of the very lovely dresses that is so identifiable as one of Rachel Burke's I Make My Day projects, which is surrounded by a mountain of handmade things to choose from like tin earrings and very flamboyant floral hairbands that are just gorgeous. I was most impressed with earrings that were fashioned out of origami designs. Some of the things in here are so original and it's so nice to see support for local crafters. One of the back shelves advertises renting a space in the store so other artists can sell their wares. As I was walking out I laughed out loud at the cute new spin on bottle top jewellery when I saw bottle tops printed with vintage pictures and resold as necklaces. I think that's a really cute and unique idea. Another item Handmade High Street currently sells is a product by Reclaimed Records, who make old records into new products like notepads and use only recycled paper. A recycled record notepad will set you back $45 but hey, you are paying for an old record. I like what this place has going on. They've got some really great pieces and I see a lot of potential for the artists who showcase their wares here.

Kath Chownston, one of three brains behind Handmade High Street, said that she wanted to provide a…read morespace for artists and craftspeople to easily sell their wares. Markets are often exhausting, subject to the elements, and aren't a very reliable way to get the money coming in if you're selling your goods in this fashion. The internet is a great way to get your stuff out there, but still, she went one further and opened a store- for the good of everyone! For her, for the people who rent space in her store, for the person who happens to pop in for a look and take away something local and unique. For the interested artist or craftsperson- the way the rent system works at Handmade High Street works is that there are small 'cubes' (shelving space) that are $20 per month. If you do larger scale work, clothing for example, and you have a rack that you'd like to have in store, it might cost you around $200 per month. The rental price is subject to how big and how much of the work there is, and whereabouts you want it placed in the store. There's some great stuff there too. The beads by Patti Pennisi made me want for the ocean, the glass work of Cairo Made That was gorgeous, and I couldn't help but want to take home some scented soy wax melts by Lisa Macnab. There's not the tired repeat of like works in there either; there's great diversity. Go in and support a new local business that supports it's locals. Handmade High Street. Remember that name.