This is a nice little shop that I always go to to buy greetings cards and gift wrap if I'm in…read moreSolihull. They have a huge wall with really different and original greetings cards that I've never seen in other shops. There are really arty ones and funky ones that make a change to normal. In addition to cards, they sell funky wrapping paper and cardboard boxes to put gifts in. There's also loads of different stationary, papers and pens and things like folders and lever arch files. All are really nice designs. They also sell funky toys that are ideal as stocking fillers or little presents. The staff are friendly and always ask if they can help you. It's never too full so you can browse to your hearts content and then not have to queue to pay. They always have inviting displays in the window which was what tempted me in to start with!

This is a fairly large branch of Paperchase, situated in the middle of Touchwood. There is a…read morePaperchase section in Borders nearby, but this independent shop carries more stock. In addition to cards and wrapping materials, the shop carries stationery, small gifts and some items for the home, such as recipe holders. There are also some kitsch Christmas and other holiday decorations in season. Paperchase have a strong graphic image to much of their range, with cards and wrapping generally being bold and stylised; you can normally tell if an item has been purchased here. The stationery is of good quality (really nice paper in the notebooks etc) and is priced accordingly. The shop carries a wide range of pens, including some liquid ink ones that I can't find anywhere else, and which make even my scrawl look good. Great for presents for students, teens and anyone who likes bold, funky designs.

WHSmith in Birmingham New Street Station is a fairly strange store down to the construction of New…read moreStreet Station as it basically is two stores in one back to back, mainly down to the ticket gates being past the stores so the store had to compromise through having a larger store and then a small store round of the back. For me this does affect the overall store as the stock is less, the store is more cramped and smaller in both sides as the average travel store would be. I came in here to grab a quick drink to take onto my train, the prices were higher than normal with it down to being a travel store. The manned till was empty and the store was really understaffed which meant a long wait time to redeem and sort out my coupon, which was frustrating as for me a travel store especially should be quick with a staff member on hand to help and there should always be at least one manned till for people who might struggle with one of the two self-service machines or wanting to buy something age restricted such as an energy drink. WHSmith is in pretty much every Railway Station, and although the stock is slight, size, service and overall feel is worse than other travel locations and price is perhaps nearer than nearby locations (remember Grand Central with a Tesco and many other retailers is right above New Street and this store) it still deserves at least two-stars for location and having a satisfactory beverage selection.

This shop is a lifesaver! They carry magazines, paperback books, candy and travel essentials…read more Ladies, this shop seems to be the only place at New Street aside from Boots that sells feminine hygiene products. Boots always seems to have a queue but its really easy to zip in and out of here.

A great little stationers and whilst the stock in store isn't exhaustive, if there is something you…read moreare looking for then they can usually order it in the very next day for no extra cost. Brilliant service and competitive prices. They have a good range of pens, some office furniture and single paper stick to chose from. They have some essential craft stock from spray mount to inks, as well as staplers and bull dog clips. Delta Pi doesn't have a car park and on street parking can be difficult unless you leave one in the car with the engine running whilst the other hops out.

I love Delta Pi - the shop isn't massive, but they pack a wide range in - with a leaning towards…read moreart supplies rather than endless stacks of A4 notepads. The staff are knowledgeable and keen to help - I've been trying to source a particular type of ceramic blade, and whilst the man in the shop had never heard of it he took down all the details and is going to enquire with his suppliers to see if he can help. It's this kind of level of service that you would never EVER get in a big chain like WH Smiths!

This is the same as my other review for the Solihull branch. Good store, with a variety of toys and…read morehelpful staff. The difference between this branch and Solihull is the size. This is much bigger and therefore does stock more toys. Has same offers as the other branch in. The reason children prefer this branch is the crawl through tunnel at the entrance, which goes behind the tills down turns into a slide! Great for kids but when its busy its difficult to keep your eye on them!

My daughter had some money for Christmas and was keen to spend it, so I took her into Birmingham…read moreCity Centre to The Entertainer. We've been in here loads of times as she loves the selection of toys and games, she's a Barbie and Bratz fanatic so loves the fact that The Entertainer has a good range of these to choose from. I love how well the shop is laid out because it is so straight forward and the same type of toys are all grouped together, this means we can easily bypass the parts of the shop which my daughter isn't interested in (Action Men) and go straight to the girly toys. Once she's spent a while browsing the dolls and teddies we always have a look around the arts and crafts section which is excellent. They sell such child friendly items as paint-by-numbers sets, paint your own statues and things like that. These are always extremely reasonably priced and very often on BOGOF offer, last week my daughter bought two good quality paint-by-numbers sets which cost just £3 each and when she got to the till the lady told her she could choose another two completely free! The Entertainer always seems to have a sale on and the prices on sale items are drastically reduced, a tenner off a £25 item and offers like that which can cut your shopping bill big time. Here you can also buy items such as toy cars, train sets and other traditional toys which is a bonus as these days even toys seem geared towards technology and it's lovely to find a shop where I can buy a good old fashioned 'brum-brum' for my nephew. The staff in The Entertainer are always excellent and obviously chosen for their rapport with children. I've never had a problem with anyone in here and love the way that my daughter can go and ask for advice without being made to feel like she is a nuisance or, worse, 'just a kid'. I always get the feeling that staff in here want the children to be as happy as their parents and this makes for a very nice shopping experience.

Listed in the official store directory of New Street Station for quite some time now, Moleskine's…read morefirst fully fledged Birmingham store has quietly opened on the station's concourse. I'll start out by saying that I've been a fan of the brand and their simple notebooks since the early noughties, when they were still relatively unknown by the general public and surprisingly hard to find outside of very large cities. Now, Moleskine has grown significantly as a very successful company that places their product in virtually any store that sells paper products or travel accessories. Until this week, your best bet was to stop in a Paperchase or Waterstones to pick up a journal, but now their full line of products and accessories is conveniently located in a prime retail spot in New Street Station. The story starts out simple, where a small Milanese paper products company reads about old-world style notebooks that were produced and sold on the streets of Paris but becoming increasingly rare in the late twentieth century. Seeing a market for the literati, they start reproducing the high-quality notebooks in the 90's and spinning a questionable historical narrative connected to Picasso. By 2006 they were bought out by a private equity firm and turned into the corporate monolith you see today. What started out as a simple notebook and journal company has now exploded into dozens of product lines. At this official Moleskine store you can not only find the original style notebooks, but branded journals as well, including their limited edition line (Toy Story, Game of Thrones, etc), and many accessories not limited to pens, bags, and more. I enjoy using the Moleskine products for several reasons, foremost is the quality of the paper used. Not only is the paper sustainable in its sourcing, but all of their paper is acid free, meaning any random doodles or masterpieces you create will last a long time. The now iconic original style notebooks feature a hard cardboard cover wrapped in synthetic fabric. A black fabric band holds the cover in place, a sewn spine allows the notebook to lie flat, and an expandable rear pocket in the back is available for storage. These notebooks have even entered the digital age, with partnered Evernote notebooks available that provide an easy method to upload your notebook into the app. The cheapest notebooks on offer are great for quickly writing notes, although you'll pay a bit more for a more archival quality notebook. Currently in their first week there are special offers for certain spend amounts. If you've never given thought to taking your writing habits back to analog, I suggest giving Moleskine a try for a quality but affordable notebook, journal, or diary.

This small shop on the Grand Central concourse has a good little selection of Moleskine goodies. I…read morelike to stop by from time to time to browse the stationery in the rather satisfying neat rows. I like a Moleskine notebook as they are good quality. This store doesn't let me down as you can find the classic notebooks as well as pens, bags, accessories and some of the limited edition releases. There are display notebooks and pens so you can try things out and see how they feel. This includes the Smart Writing Set and the other digital-able books that Moleskine sell. All rather pricey but that is what I have come to expect from Moleskine. A few offers do pop up from time to time though so worth a glance here if you're after something anyway.

I am a fan of this quirky gift and interiors shop. They are a small spot in the city packed with…read moreplenty to look at and buy. From furniture to cards there is a treasure trove feel to this store. I love the science inspired gifts, clothing, and interior pieces. Especially the science inspired children's clothes that don't make science for boys and not for girls. Finally! Surprisingly there are lots of affordable gift items alongside much more investment pieces here. It works and it doesn't. In that the huge furniture pieces don't really belong or work in small city centre apartments. But the framed prints, mugs, and kitchen towels are great. And I can see how these must be very popular. The store is quiet so you have no competition to peruse the items in stock. And as the store owners rotate stock on a regular basis, it is worth chatting to them if you're looking for something specific. There is also a Vincent Van Doodle pop up on Link Street at the moment so you can have a quick browse without diverting off to Commercial Street, which is a little out of the way from the main shopping areas.

Scribbler is a gift, card and novelty shop located on the top level of the Bullring (on the…read moreentrance from the Bull). It's brightly coloured and inviting exterior never fails to draw my eye when I'm taking a shortcut to the Birmingham Markets to grab the weekly shop. Yesterday I thought I would pop in and actually have a look. It's not a large unit, but the walls and floors are totally packed with fun bits and pieces and cards of a good quality. The greetings cards are probably on par with someone like Paperchase in terms of cost, but I spotted some designs I hadn't seen before (and will be back to check regularly to stock up for friends and family). They sell a small range of gift books (including things like Grumpy Cat, Cyanide and happiness as well as other internet webcomics) and items from the likes of "Fred & Friends" for those awesome kind of kitchen gadgets that you don't need, but you definitely want. I spotted some 75% off items on their far wall, left over from the Christmas sales. I ended up purchasing 7 different things that WOULD have been over £40 pre-sale, but I paid £11. The member of staff at the counter was chipper, helpful and welcoming and we had a good old chat about some of the items they stock in the shop. A lot of the gear in here is expensive, but it's unusual and fun and would make brilliant presents for those "hard to buy for" people in your life. Definitely pop on down and give it a look next time you're in the Bullring.

Love being organised? Or do you need to get organised? If you answered yes then it's worth coming…read morehere. They have a wide variety of everything to suit your needs. The products range from office tools such as paper clips to watches. I've always found their products to be a range of classic, stylish and modern designs. On their blank books i.e. notepads you can often find a set. For example a notepad, diary and pencil case together. Or you can mix and match, which is what I prefer to do. I also think their products are suitable for people of all educational levels. On the other hand the products are costly; sticky notes cost £4.00. So it would be nice if they regularly had deals on especially just before students and pupils go back to study.