This shop is filled with knick-knacks and bits. A large proportion of their stock is food related -…read moremugs for £8 and up, various crockery items and tea coasters. There are plenty of other purchases in store though from lampshades, to hand creams, fridge magnets, candles, glassware, velvet scarves and a myriad of other 'girly' items. Although all of their items are predictably priced - in that I mean that they are rather expensive gifts considering that they mostly fall into a rather useless category - they do have quite a few reductions and offers which may make it rather more worth paying them a visit. The few jewellery items that caught my eye are a little cheaper than their neighbours' too, but for that I must say I thought that the quality reflected that - the items just weren't quite as special. All in all, good for a gander, but not necessarily much else.

If you have dreams of being a Martha Stewart type with a kitchen filled with retro cake stands and…read morenovelty jelly moulds, this is the shop for you. It's filled with quirky gifts for gourmets, and has everything you always wanted for your kitchen but could never afford to actually buy, from cute matching eggcups to picnic sets and crockery printed with a photo of your choice. There's some other stuff here too, including a more run-of-the-mill selection of gifts, but this place is really all about the kitchen accessories. A place to treat yourself or buy presents for friends, but be preapred to pay for it - eggcups alone come in at a hefty £8.

There is only two things to say about this shop, and they give you a pretty big idea of what you…read moreneed to know! Firstly, the prices are really good, theyre not cheap, but theyre not painfully expensive either. You are paying for good quality lamps and lights. Secondly, you WILL find the COOLEST lights here! Whether you want something funky, something minimal, something other than a white light, you will find it here! Aswell as garden lights, lights for kids bedrooms, decorative lights and SO MUCH MORE!!!!

Though it can be a little expensive, there is plenty of choice in this shop for a bit of handmade…read morepottery. In a good, scenic location too, and near the lovely Wentworth Garden Centre. Some little gifts for others (or for yourself!) can be purchased here, with a wide selection of ceramics and pottery.

HomeSense is a chain of discount home furnishing stores, it is owned by TK Maxx, who also has a…read morestore next to this one in the Manchester Arndale. like TK Maxx the branding/styling of the name is different on this side of the Atlantic. The store is large and has a good selection of bits and bobs, from pillows to appliances, from ice cube trays and cheese-graters. Considering, they're supposed to be a "discount" chain, I did find some prices to be a little high, if you're lucky you'll find a high-quality item with a good discount/offer though, so it's kind of like a TKMaxx jumble sale but replacing the clothes with home items. The staff seemed friendly and happy to help me find what I was looking for, and the experience at the checkout was smooth. This is a fairly good store, obviously, some deals are better than others, but probably the best selection of home furnishing in the Manchester Arndale, with a fairly presentable store and helpful staff. 4*

I'm kind of in love with this shop. It's dreamy! The window displays are whimsical and they're sure…read moreto draw you in every time. The seasonal produce is brilliant, both food items and general home ware. They've got the Christmas stock in at the moment and it's absolutely gorgeous, snow globes and crockery, bath products and food. You name it :) I had to drag myself out of the shop before I spent my entire pay check. I love that you can get top quality, one off items here are a very decent price. The staff are always helpful and the store is clean and well presented. They also have a pretty good reduced to clear range. If you're in to DIY like me you can pick up something that's a little damaged for a ridiculous price and fix it up at home. I've saved so much doing this. I also find this shop to be ideal for gift shopping as they stock such a wide range of products, the packaging tends to be beautiful and I can pick up items here that I wouldn't normally see in other shops.

It is Japanese version of Primark. In Japan it is not expensive at all, very reasonable…read more I like the design, very simple and stylish. My partner likes their business card holder( he puts all his cards and uses as a wallet). I am not happy with the price as I know how much it should cost originally but if you do not have chances to travel Japan, it is good price to pay. Still worth it. They have much more different items including foods, so it is a bit shame that they do not offer it in UK. I like their gel type pen, it is very smooth writing!

Muji is a Japanese brand that sells minimal style homeware, cookware, clothing, storage (acrylic),…read morestationary and other rare pieces of bric-a-brac. Everything at Muji is innovative and very accessible unlike a lot of homeware stores that sell storage that look good but aren't necessarily good at the function. Muji's products although very simple; the clothes for example tend to be made of natural fabrics and one colour, nothing bright or garish, look good on and are good quality. I could buy everything in this store. Prices are reasonable and I am always finding useful things, whether it be a teapot, and a storage box for my make up.

James Macintyre & Co specialise in floral pottery, lamps and a range of other home ware as well as…read morecards and artwork with a similar style. The products all have a vintage and quite pretty art nouveau style with gently curving plants and highly stylised flowers and insects. The aesthetic runs throughout the shop, though with a wide range of variations on the theme. The smaller items like cards and picture frames are good if you like the style, but aren't prepared to splash out on a lamp. The shop is compact, with a pleasant, welcoming atmosphere and helpful staff.

This shop specialises in art pottery and has a vast selection of vases and art work for your home…read more They have some really unusual pieces and some are actually quite humorous. They have catalogues that you can choose items from to be ordered and also offer gift cards, lamp bases and shades and collections from Prestige Moorcroft. The shop is small and homely, pop in and have a look around.

This is a great little shop which has triumphed over the large DIY chains. It proves that the…read morefriendly helpful service from a small local shop can beat that of a large shop like Homebase (which is just over the road) The shop is jam packed with DIY items and is used by most of the local trades people for their supplies. They have items on special offer all around the door, and if you are looking for something specific, there are staff on hand to help you out. They will of course order item in for you or help you find the awkward replacement screw. They do key cutting while you wait and also seem to be one of the only local shops to do photocopying at the moment.

Brilliant little DIY shop with very knowledgeable staff. they have everything and most stuff is…read moremuch cheaper than the in the large multiples (filler cartridges especially). they have boxes and drawer containing every type of screw or nut you could want and a good range of other products and tools too. support a local, traditional. hardware store first before popping into Focus or Homebase. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

This is the handiest shop for all DIY and all other imaginable bits and bobs. They sell all sorts…read morefrom tools, paint, drain unblocker, gardening things, hoover bags, lightbulbs, screws, kitchen appliances, tupperware etc etc etc. The staff are usually pretty helpful and the prices are very reasonable.