There's this bright pink sign catching your attention on Cascades Road, which immediately signals…read morethis is no mechanic shop along a busy industrial district. What a Girl Wants is a second hand store, but packed with top quality bits and pieces. There are bags, clothes, shoes, books, furniture and ornaments, all geared towards the classy women of East Auckland. I thoroughly enjoyed having a browse, and picked up a nice singlet for a whopping $2! It's next to a coffee place and also an antique store, so your vintage tastes can be quenched, along with a nice spot of coffee afterwards. You can just park on the gravel outside, which is really handy. The shop assistant was friendly enough, and the way things are set out is really eye catching. It's awesome to see some creative thought going into the layout of a thrift store, considering most of the time, you have to rummage to find anything particularly useful. Here, it's all on display, in order of size and product. Good stuff.

What a Girl Wants would be a solid four star shop if it weren't for the staff…read more The two times I've been in I've wanted to stay longer, they have some amazing bargains and a very well organised shop, and overall the quality of their stock is excellent. The problem is, the two ladies who work there were very, very loudly talking politics both times I went in. As there's a dance school directly above them, it's fair enough that they need to raise their voices a little to be heard. But maybe don't stand on opposite sides of the shop? Or don't go on loudly about how much you dislike beneficiary bludgers who just sit around all day doing nothing. I mean, you're running a second hand shop, people...perhaps put two and two together and come up with four?

We went here today in search of a desk, and sadly, didn't find one. Well, we did, but it kind of…read morehad a SOLD sticker hanging off it, and when we enquired as to whether it was actually sold (since the sticker looked old and was hanging on by a corner), no one seemed to know, or wanted to find out. We had a look around anyway, and this place is a hipster's paradise. Most of it is genuinely old, and slightly overpriced. I got two sewing patterns for $2 apiece (and they weren't even that great), and other op shops are selling them for around 50 cents each. We also grabbed a couple of spanners for $2 each, and I got some zips and piping for another $2. There is a large section of stuff that isn't secondhand and is brand new, and is extremely expensive. I saw a set of double bed sheets with foxes on them for $214. I know foxes are "in" right now, but seriously. Obviously very much taking advantage of the whole "vintage vibe" that people are loving right now, and good on them I guess, but I was looking for genuinely old, unfashionable secondhand stuff, and of that there just wasn't that much, sadly.

The coolest second hand and collectibles store in Auckland for sure. The mass size of this…read morewarehouse is amazing and full of everything from a Tonka truck for the kid to vintage surfboards that make the man cave look awesome. My first visit to J & D I spent over an hour and a half just wandering back and forth peering at peoples past belongings. I have purchased a beautiful vintage glass cake platter the kind that nana used to have, and a glass perfume spray bottle that opens up and allows you to fill it up with any scent you wish. Prices are not too pricey, so won't break the bank. If you love exploring antique stores give this a try you might find a painting that inspires you, or a vintage lounge suite to redecorate with? Staff are helpful however, usually only one person working the store. Be prepared for cool and cool is what you will get.

You have a young woman, Indigo working for this store. She is just lovely. Everything you want in a…read morecustomer service professional. She is extremely friendly, efficient & I have noticed her tact in dealing with some very rude customers. I hope the SPCA management is supporting her in training to deal with some really unpleasant people. A hard job, she does wonderfully. Always a pleasure to shop there. We selectively shop as we find this branch overpriced & in Puke not the best on price. Otherwise on customer service, faultless.

Huge amount of clothes in a big site. Found some dodgy shirts here (dodgy in a good way)... A…read morelittle scared to bring my partner here... I might lose another wardrobe to her clothing.

Came here on Saturday to do some shopping for a baby shower. Was served by a lovely Islander girl…read more Wish I asked her name. I will next time. Great clothing, huge selection and phenomenal customer service. Thank you. I will return :)

The reviews from 2013 might have been accurate for the time…read more But coming to you from 2015, this place is rockin'! Not going to give it the full five stars because it's not the cheapest or nicest looking store around. I expect cheaper prices as the place gets drabby-errrr. But that is by no means a reason not to go, just initially misleading. The place is much more organized than what I read, even has a 16+ section which is nice. Also note, the men's section is microscopic, even considering the smaller sizes of men's sections at charity shops, it's almost overlooked. But for women, it's great. They have a sale rack out side, a $2 rack indoors, 50 cent table, boutique or price-ier items section, intimates and swim separated out and in baskets of different quality and prices: glorious. The selection is wide in style and in size. I found basics I was looking for, like black leggings, and ridiculous cocktail dresses that I would't find anywhere else. The ladies working there were extremely friendly and on top of making sure the people milling about the place got what they needed. They were really nice to one girl shopping there, helping her in the fitting room and encouraging her fashion sense, which, coming from snobby-mall culture, I appreciate. They were having a 30% off day when I went which made everything even more of a bargain than the tag prices. I spent $24 and got a cocktail dress, nice black stylized leggings, a velvet+sheer shirt, two bras and maroon tights. The girl who rung my up was sweet, funny, talked to me about clothes, gave me tips of other charity shops around and was just great. Maybe not 5 star status, but this place is awesome. Should totally be a must on your thrift-list through Auckland.

No doubt a good place to find some good second hand deals, but I personally found the layout of…read morethis store absolutely claustrophobic and dizzying. It was really hard to keep up with sizes and different items of clothing, as it was all very mixed up. They have some more expensive items out the back if you're seeking a discounted ball dress or two. Yet I could find nothing in my size, because I guess the store assistants would rather natter to each other than organize them into appropriate sizes, or colours, or something! It's a sanguine's room in there without the decency of a bed. If you just want a deal, and you don't mind spending countless time sifting through racks and racks of clothes, then great! If you'd like a more efficient experience, perhaps a Cotton On Outlet down the road will do?

Oh my god I love this shop! It's a place to spend hours but sadly I don't have a lot of those spare…read morethese days. They call themselves primarily "costumers" because the quality and sometimes outrageousness of the vintage clothing on offer here is THAT impressive. The antique costume jewellery here is utterly beautiful and unique - and there's lots of it. Victorian Gilt stock textiles, sewing tools, ornaments and more but for me, it's a dress-up box of epic proportions and there's not another place in Auckland that does what they do here. The staff are so lovely and helpful and make you feel more than welcome to just browse and exclaim over the beautiful things.

This is one of those awfully deceptive places that you think you are going to get a bargain at…read morecause everything looks really old, and then you check the price tag and its like sucker! You can't afford alla this. Which is true but dreams are free right. They have some beautifully restored furniture pieces like this amazing set of drawers I see whenever I close my eyes. I honestly though just like coming in here for inspiration for my flat. The owner of the shop has a refined eye for sure. This is one of those shops that people can see very differently aesthetic wise ( take my partner for example who still remains puzzled as to why people want to buy such junk) After all, one mans 'junk' is another's treasure!

For the longest time, Flotsam + Jetsam was crammed into a little Richmond Road shop. Packed to the…read morerafters with taxidermy, quirky crockery and other curios, Cameron and the team quickly outgrew this place and moved up to the cute but dilapidated Lord Ponsonby Antiques building on the corner of Williamson Ave an Ponsonby Road. The name of this business is quite apt - it's really cool to see really cheap and strange items alongside really expensive European lamps, handpainted crockery and the odd bit of furniture. If you're heading to the new premises, don't be afraid to walk around the back and head up the stairs. It can sometimes look like an area customers aren't supposed to go, but if you go up top, there are two more rooms full of larger items like tables and chairs... and a big bowl of free matchbooks!

Totally disgusting in here. Randomly closes in the middle of the day, and the person working there…read more(the owner, I assume?) did not even greet me when I walked in. It's dirty and smelly inside, so I couldn't stay for longer than a couple of minutes before gagging. Take your money elsewhere.

The owner is a bit eccentric but is a nice guy. He's given me great deals before and you can find…read moreunique things there like large turtle shells, an adult tricycle, large paintings, mannequins, a dress form, etc. What I buy from him are picture frames, shelves, dolls, ect. His prices are reasonable and if you want a cheaper rate just ask him.

Thrift shops can be a little hit and miss, but that's half the fun isn't it!? Call me tinny, but at…read moreNew Beginnings in Takapuna I always seem to HIT. An example of some recent hits.... Hit 1: A Chloe (YES CHLOE) trench coat. It cost me $30 (which yes, is a little steep for an op shop) but my, oh my, this coat is lovely. I wait, with anticipation for someone to stroke my coat and ask where it's from, just so I can explain the story. I'm practically a walking advert for the City Mission Hit 2: A beautiful eggshell blue daisy vase. It has prime position in my kitchen window and I've seen the neighbours giving it jealous stare downs as they pass. Back off - it's mine Hit 3: A flax back pack/bag. No, not like the one you tried to make as a 10 year old. This flax bag is the BOMB. It's secure and makes a perfect gym bag. No more smelly gym gear. I guess because it's a natural, breathable material, even wet towels come out of it smelling fresh. Hit 4: Of course, one of the biggest hits is that all the profits go straight back to the City Mission. It's great organisation and shopping at New Beginnings is perhaps the easiest (and most rewarding) was to support it

Staff were honestly so friendly and found 2 Tommy H. Polo's which were sold for $5!!!! Such a good…read moreprice and they were honestly nice enough I got a 50% off!! I found some Ralph Lauren's and even more famous brands and they were in good condition!! Would honestly highly recommend :)