A good, trustworthy crew work here. It's a family business and we've been seeing them for a few…read moreyears to get our regular hit of chemicals - the nice young lads even carry the salt bags to your car for you. I admit I strayed for a while when a new dealer opened down the raod, but I'm back. the service is good and the price is right; my pool is happy.

Just had security screen doors and screens fitted on my rental units on the Gold Coast. The quote…read morefrom Miza Home Security was chosen. I found communication easy and prompt. Follow-up enquiries were handled promptly. Friendly service, good value and excellent results.

I obtained a quote from Doyles Mitre 10 Timber & Hardware at Mitchelton and it was very…read morecompetitive. The staff were very knowledgeable ( I am not a builder) and I felt that I could trust their advice. All the gear arrived by truck and the men from Mitre 10 helped take the steel and timber into my garage. Very impressed. Thanks again. Chris The Gap Brisbane

You COULD drive a little further to venture into that well-known warehouse style hardware store, or…read moreif you're in the middle of painting a wall with your Dad and need a new paint roller pronto, you COULD also drive a lickity split down the road and shop at Doyles Home Hardware. Tucked away on Blackwood Street, Doyles have been a hardware savior on multiple occasions since moving to the area. From small wall hooks to hang new prints to custom cut lengths of timber - the team at Doyles have it all. Plus it's service with an old fashioned smile. Thumbs up, Blackwood Street.

Currently renovating my apartment and wanted quotes for replacement carpet…read more Most stores didn't want to come out to show samples in place, however Connor from Carpet Call was more than happy to come out, measure, show samples and make a recommendation of what carpet to purchase. Having picked a couple of colours in the showroom, I was surprised how different they looked in the actual room and with softer lighting. I'm glad I was able to have an in-home quote as I went with a completely different colour than I had originally chosen. Connor also upgraded us from 7mm underlay to 10mm at no charge, as he said that would give us more longevity and be better in our baby's room. He also gave us a discount coupon for rugs if we wanted to purchase one at a later time. Carpet Call weren't the cheapest quote I was able to get, but their service in giving that quote gave me the confidence to order from them and know I'd be looked after.

A tiny little nook of a shop but full of myriad surprises, (m)art is associated with the acclaimed…read moreArtisan Gallery in the Fortitude Valley. As you survey the intriguing range of jewellery, ceramics and other one-off pieces, you get the feeling that you've walked into a modern art museum (though on a small scale), the difference being that you can buy the artworks and take them home with you. The prices aren't cheap, as you'd expect for works of such quality. I've noticed some lovely bespoke ceramic cups and bowls going for $66 each, which I would happily buy for a wedding present or for my home. However, a series of commonplace objects encased in rectangular prism made of resin (the only I can remember was a dead bee) going for $220 each seemed a bit rich to me. Perhaps there's some special reason unbeknownst to a layperson such as myself for their seemingly exorbitant procetags.

(m)art design store has got to be one of my favourite shops in South Bank! This design space, come…read morejewellar, come book store, come gift shop is a mixture of different artist's work and boasts some gorgeous things. The design of the store itself is fantastic, and is one of the first things to catch the eye of people passing by. All of the shelves and display tops are made with upturned takeaway coffee cups. It adds a completely new dimension to your average shopping experience and really gives it the feel of an art gallery. Sure, the prices in (m)art aren't exactly cheap, but be careful to keep in mind that the work on display is primarily by local artists (and let's face it, us creative types are hard-pressed earning a crust). For this reason, I would say that the prices are fair. Next time you're in South Bank, make sure you head in to (m)art for a browse. It's the perfect place to buy a gift for someone who has everything, or even for a wedding present. Plus, it's always great to support local and emerging artists.

Whoever created Reverse Garbage is a genius and should be given a medal for helping to solve the…read moreworld's waste problems. Don't get me started on my overconsumption rant! Reverse Garbage is a not-for-profit that accepts donations of industrial scraps or pays a small fee for them, organises them in a way that is consumer-friendly and sells them, saving "rubbish" from going into landfill. As a sewer, I love their fabric scraps. Most of it's off-cuts of pretty odd shapes but there are some small rolls of fabric too. Selling truly random things like bottle caps, brochures, long tubes of mesh-like fabric--things that would otherwise be considered junk--this is a great place for creative souls, kindergarten teachers in search of craft material and anyone who wants to look first for second-hand materials before buying something new and contributing to the cycle of consumption! Uh-oh, I feel that rant coming on again...

Full of bits of wood, mannequins, plastic, rope, fabric and thousands of other bits and bobs that…read morewere going to be thrown out by various industrial places. In this way, they are stopping waste and allowing things to have a second chance at life. They are always getting new things in and the best way to hear about their latest bargain is to keep an eye on their facebook page. They are a not-for-profit organisation that goes to schools to do workshops and have a small shop that sells upcycled handmade goodies from local craftspeople. If you love craft and DIY (or you're renovating your house), this is the place for you. Everything is priced reasonably. I have used some of their things for my own crafting projects. Perhaps the only problem is their location; they can be a bit hard to get to. I catch the bus and jump off at the P.A. Hospital. From there it's about a 15 minute walk.

My boyfriend's parents are renovating an old Queenslander. They've been to Bunnings and antique…read morestores looking for interesting door knobs, brass handles, tiles and so on. They weren't having much luck and decided to try out a little shop in Rainworth called The Brass Shop Magins. These guys have got brass fittings, taps, door knobs, bits and bobs, gadgets and gizmos a plenty, whosits and whatsits galore... Their prices are cheaper than others around. You could go to Bunnings and get generic fittings for a reasonable price, or you could go to the Brass Shop Magins, find something unique and inexpensive, while enlist ing the help of the owners, David and Ann- Marie. These guys are the go to people regarding the more ornamental details of renovation work.

Rainworth is one of those adorable little suburbs that's no longer a suburb yet still retains its…read morefeel. Officially now known as part of Bardon (just don't say that too loud) Rainworth can be dismissed as just a roundabout on the way to the freeway. However, Brass Shop Magins is a great example of why you shouldn't dismiss places out of hand. We're all getting distressingly used to bland super stores that all stock the same, slightly dissatisfying range. If you want a shopping experience like our parents used to get, you need to visit this shop. Well, you need to visit this shop if you're in the market for brass and hardware fixtures anyway.

Thousand Island Dressing; ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. My attention was split five thousand different…read moreways walking in here because there are literally so many beautiful things everywhere. You walk in and straight away there are shelves and shelves of jewellery in every style and colour to greet and entice you. They have the most incredible range of jewellery with pieces that are adorable, in particular a teapot/teacup set of earrings and floral headbands that you just can't find anywhere else. There was even a silver necklace with an envelope that opened with a letter inside. Cute! The jewellery is colour coordinated, making it very easy to find pieces you want and match them to anything you have in mind. They have bags, wallets, soaps, books, pillows, lights, jewellery holders, literally everything! The place has been converted from an old Paddington house and the fixtures that decorate it mesh so well with the very pretty and very original items. French brand Taratata Bijou is also featured and they have quite a big range of cufflinks for the boys too. You pay a little more here but it leaves you feeling like you've spoilt yourself to something special. Everything is ornate and really gorgeous - perfect for gift ideas and birthday presents. They even have aluminium Christmas decorations for the season. They cover homewares, accessories, and jewellery and you definitely won't find it difficult to find something here; the problem is settling on just one thing.

I am very sorry to sound like a grouch but I just do not get the big deal about this place. Yes, it…read moreis colourful and beads are falling out of every angle. Yes, it does sell nice jewellery that I probably would like to wear. And yes, you could probably find a nice gift for someone here. All of these positive points do not change the fact that I have had awful customer service from this place. So much that it has put me off going there altogether. Ok, so here is the scenario that has happened more than once. You walk in, there are a couple of staff members standing in the corner gossiping away. Usually this does not bother me that much even though I know it is not considered to be good customer service. When I actually go to counter to pay and actually have to wait 5 minutes for someone who is not busy at all to serve me, that is what annoys me! When you try to make small talk with the sales assistance, you just get ignored! I am not the only person who find their customer service awful, my sister has had a similar experience. Maybe I'm just being sensitive or have only been to the store during bad times, but this place needs to consider opinions like mine. I'm not asking for the best service of my life, but a little bit of service with a smile would be nice.