This is a standard convenience store and stocks all of the usual items that you would expect; some…read morefood, snacks, a few household items, newspapers, alcohol and tobacco. I have been in a couple of times when I have been in Harborne. The chap who works there or who owns it seems really friendly and chatty. Several times he has made small talk with me, which is nice as it makes me want to pop back in here. I have always found what I needed in here, which is usually just some chocolate and something like milk to take back home. The prices are fairly reasonable for a convenience store and I have been to more expensive stores in the area. Overall, I like this store because the service is great and it has been convenient for me.

The old motto of writing about what you know rings true here (and for the next few reviews) as…read moreHarborne Convenience is very much my local shop. Open from early morning until at least 10pm every night this isn't somewhere you'd travel miles to visit but if you live nearby it's a great place to purchase things like compost or barbeque briquettes. They are also notable for stocking a good range of real-ales, an extensive selection of doggie treats (which get the seal of approval from Dave the greyhound) and the man who runs it is a really nice chap who often compliments us on how well Dave is looking and very much lives by the adage 'the show must go on'. Not only does the shop stay open at Christmas and New Year but perhaps most memorably of all through a recent power cut where thanks to a torch-lit fetching service the people of Northfield Road were able to continue to make their essential purchases of booze, fags and Monster Munch.

I think that this is a pretty standard convenience store. It has everything in that you would…read moreexpect from a local corner shop; alcohol, snacks (including chocolate!), a few toiletries, newspapers and groceries. I popped in to purchase a few bits and bobs for dinner one afternoon on my way back home. It was quite busy inside, full of locals know to the staff. I found what I was looking for fairly easily, which was only a few groceries and some snacks. The man who served me was polite and friendly and made chit chat with me, which was nice. The prices were not too bad either and not too expensive for a convenient store. Overall, it is a good convenience store for those passing through, or who live in the local area.

Joshua's is a brilliant convenience store. A fantastic range of products, run by a very lovely…read morefamily who will go the extra mile to make sure they always have the products you like. If they haven't got something they will make sure they have the next time you visit! In lockdown they were amazing and didn't try and hike their prices like a lot of other stores did! Honest and reliable, you should try them out!

Spotlessly clean inside and offering a copious range of foods, drinks and household essentials,…read morethis handy corner shop stocks pretty much everything you're ever likely to need for day-to-day domestic life. The store's range of pet food and refrigerated products are particularly impressive and there's even a cash machine inside for those of you who, like me, regularly end up going out with an empty wallet. Unfortunately, Joshua's is incredibly cramped inside and offers no parking facilities whatsoever. A bus stop is situated just opposite and the aisles aren't the tightest in the world, but the store's claustrophobic feel does undeniably let down what is otherwise a very handy, pleasant and reasonably priced local shop.

I go here occasionally when I am in the area and before now if there is no where to park I have not…read morebothered to stop but they have just made some new spaces which will encourage me to go here in the future. The shop is rather small yet does stock a good range of foods and has the special offers advertised on the shop windows and I have always managed to get any special offer items I wanted. Staff deal with you quickly but I have usually had to ask for bags and at times the cashier has started serving the following person before I have gathered my things

This is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades convenience store with a 'cafe' and dry-cleaning service…read moreavailable. They stock all of your typical convenience store goods; milk, eggs, bread, cereal and so on. It comes in handy when I'm on my way into the Jewellery Quarter and need to pick up something on the go. The cafe isn't one that I would choose to go to - Rosella's a bit of a weird amalgamation of services that leaves it all a bit substandard. Anyway it fulfils it's purpose of being a convenience store, as does the cafe - so perhaps the cafe is best described as more of a convenience cafe. It's not the most extraordinary of establishment that you'll ever visit (in case you were expecting that) - but it's prototypical, reliable convenience store to get a mars bar and a pint of milk when passing by or in your slippers.

For such a residential street, it is surprising that this 'corner shop' isn't open longer hours. In…read morefact, many times I've walked past this shop in the middle of George Street, underneath a big block of flats and it appears closed. It doesn't open till 9am, however, it is very handy to have something close by if I run out. We've been in their for supplies to ease of a cold as well as basics such as eggs and bread when we've been caught short. Service is always good. They also have dry cleaning from here now and it's a point to collect post if you're out during the day. There is a cafe in there and I'm not sure if the attached pizza take away is ever open but I may find out one day!

One of several convenience/off license stores on a small stretch of Raddlebarn Road. I think there…read moreare at least 6 shops all doing a similar trade, and all of them seem to survive. This was a mystery to me when we first moved to the area, but I'm slowly cottoning on that these places survive due to students. A) There are loads of students in the area and they all walk to the nearest one B) There are loads of students in the area who visit the shops in groups and, after having a lengthy discussion at the counter about who is paying for what, they all want to pay separately with a debit card. When this happens it's very quick and easy to simply move along to the next shop, rather than wait 15 minutes for the whole shenanigan to play out. Sakib is one such store. Local, friendly, convenient.

Locally known as Sakib's this modest corner shop has a remarkable range of products on offer to the…read moregeneral public. From tennis balls to food stuffs to alcohol they have the lot here and this place most definitely targets convenience. The owner is a friendly gentleman who welcomes each customer with a smile and never fails to act in a polite and professional manner. This place like many businesses on Raddlebarn road appears to have been around for years, so there is a real sense of local community in terms of the way it is run. Sakib's is another store which continues to prosper in the face of massive Supermarket chains and long may that continue.

Seoul Plaza is 500 square foot of retail space dedicated to Japanese, Chinese and Korean foods. The…read morespacious aisles have space for fresh fruit, spices and vegetables, dried goods such as noodles and rice, freezer chests full of all your oriental favourites as well as packets of stuff that I've never heard of. I'm not a specialist in these foods, more of an enthusiastic amateur, but the "what the hell is that"? aspect of shops like this has always appealed to me , and there was plenty of those kind of thrills for me at the Seoul Plaza with many products that I can only label as "specialist" nestling between the more familiar items like rice, tofu and fresh chillies. The drink section was also intriguing, with Aloe Vera based drinks that taste delicious and lemongrass seed drinks that look worryingly similar to frogs spawn. I'm giving Seoul Plaza three stars not because I don't have the expert knowledge to tell if Seoul Plaza is great at what it does or simply very good, though it might well take a Chinese or Korean chef to tell you that. However, I can say that it's a well run store with an interesting selection and polite staff. Also for reasons completely unknown to me they sell what appears to be the cheapest cans of Coca Cola in the West Midlands ( a mere forty five pence!).

There are a fair few Asian food supermarkets in the city centre, particularly around the Hurst…read moreStreet area where the city has bustling Chinese quarter containing restaurants, Chinese remedies and travel agents, but Seoul Plaza is just as good as any of those and is right on my doorstep (well, a ten minute walk away). This place quite rightly saw a gap in the market and chose to serve the large number of Chinese, Japanese and Korean students who attend the nearby University. There is a fair selection of fresh produce, and it's great for fresh lemongrass, coriander, and so on. There are the usual baffling (to Western eyes at least) array of sauces, packets, sweets, drinks and dried goods but its also provides all the 'usual' stuff like soy sauce, chili oil and the like. My wife is half Philippino and often drops in for ingredients she can't get elsewhere. There is also a fairly good frozen section and its a good place to pick up fish, seafood and items like spring rolls. It's a fairly big place - somewhere between the size of a small supermarket and a convenience store, so there is a lot of stock to chose from, so you'll more than likely find whatever it is you're looking for. The prices are fairly reasonable, too.

I have popped in here a few times when I have been in Northfield and needed something to eat or…read moreneeded some groceries to take home. It is fairly big inside and they have all of usual things that you would expect from a convenience store, such as newspapers, snacks, a few toiletries and other bits and bobs. I have always found what I needed easily too, which is good as I hate not being able to find what I want! Although, if I could not find anything I would not hesitate to ask the staff because they always seem really friendly and very polite, which is nice and also refreshing. The prices are alright, perhaps a little pricey, but overall it is a good convenience store as the service is good and the store has been useful to me on more than one occasion!