If Alice of Wonderland fame had fallen down the rabbit hole into this place, she never would have…read moregotten out. The store is a maze of aisles with seemingly no order at all. Paths between merchandise veer off unexpectedly, making it a bit of a 'choose your own adventure' type experience. You never know what you'll find but if you go the wrong way you'll struggle to find your way back. When I entered the store I expected something like Bunnings (probably the only hardware store I've ever been to) with its lofty ceilings and manicured aisles. I was surprised at the low-ceilinged but deceptively large shop that greeted me. Apart from the ceiling height difference, this place sold everything any other hardware store does. Each section also had its own information desk, with a staff member waiting patiently for customers with queries. I kept arriving at 'clearings' to find an eager shop assistant gazing anxiously at me as I tried to back away while maintaining eye contact. The odd mix of charming, maze-like layout, head ducking and exceptional customer service combine to make this a place I would highly recommend.

Before entering Paddington Hardware, maybe give everyone in your group an air horn or just tether…read moreyour group together, because you will get lost in this giant warehouse of aisles. On the other hand, I don't mind getting lost in here. It made me remember that hardware stores don't have to be boring. After visiting Mitre 10 and its peers back in the day as a little girl with my father, this is a positive mansion of hardware needs. At first indifferent, I wandered absent-mindedly amongst rows of containers of different types of screws, and I was reminded of my father's workshop. When I was little, Dad's workshop (attached to the house) was out-of-bounds for kids. Of course this meant I snuck in there as often as possible. I used to ooh and ahh over the smell of cut wood, the jars of different sized nails and screws, curly wood shavings on the floor. It felt like being in Santa's workshop. And it also felt like this here. Now, Paddington Hardware isn't Santa's workshop - that I'm aware of. For all I know he could be stuffed in the back, pumping out dinner tables amongst a group of singing elves. The store's that big. I'm somehow sounding sentimental about a hardware store. In spite of its size, though, the staff are so friendly that it contributes to the happy-wonder vibe of the place. From a stock perspective, the scope of hardware is so extensive that I think most handymen would find what they wanted here. As an aside, I came to Paddington Hardware to buy a shower curtain because I was moving out of my rental property and they wanted it replaced. Shower curtains are sneakily expensive. However, Paddington Hardware was the only place in Paddington I could find a shower curtain. It was a damn nice curtain, so I hope the new tenants enjoyed it. A word about parking here: there is on-site parking, but since Paddington Hardware is sandwiched between boutiques and restaurants, it was once packed with cars from non-patrons. However, there is a strict Hardware Parking Only sign on site, and increased security on this front means that legitimate Hardware store customers should be able to find a spot.

Fantastic friendly and knowledgeable service and great product range. The perfect place for any DIY…read morepainting job.

The famous North American homewares retailer Pottery Barn, also made famous in Australia by the TV…read moresitcom Friends, has come to Brisbane. Transform your house into a beautiful sophisticated home with endless stylish items and ideas. Prices seem reasonable with lots to choose from.

This was my first Pottery Barn shopping experience and I am happy to say it will be the last. My…read morepartner and I visited the store and noticed a dining table for sale with 40% off, on speaking to the shop assistant she stated it was no longer for sale and removed the sale ticket in front of us. However she said if we were to buy it she would honour the sale price but only on this occasion so we had to think fast and not leave the store (nice sales tactic). This obviously created a sense of urgency and we ended up buying the table as it was a great price. Then came the $153.95 shipping fee on top (why not have a Australian supply?). But imagine my disappointment when I discover a few days later the table is on sale online for cheaper than we paid in store! Finding this out I attempted to cancel delivery but it had already shipped and now I was liable for a 20% restocking fee. Long story short, this happened on 9th August, it is now 23rd August. I have left a message for the store manager to call me back but no luck, on 2 occasions American Pottery Barn staff have said they will call me back and no luck. Today I have been told again I will get a call back and not only that a full refund inclusive of shipping and restocking totalling $957...I await to see if after 5 phone calls I can finally forget this shopping experience. p.s - a further 2 phone calls (taking the total up to 7). Store manager still have the decency to call, assistant called and no question about the poor service received just asked for card number. It is free to say sorry, explore why customers have had poor service, reassure and take steps to make sure it doesn't happen again and customers shall return. I'll only be returning if there is a sign saying under new management.