With a handy roadside sign directing you down a potholed driveway, St Vincent de Paul is an almost…read morepopular New Lynn op shop. Looking like it's sitting in a disused church hall perfectly fits it's thrifty recyclability. Now, other than the revitalized train station, not much in New Lynn is new. Most shops and houses have an old and tired feel to them. So a thrift store in this suburb is going to be the bleakest, bluest building you can find. There are halting discussions about Coronation St and endless shuffling from rack to shelf; There are curtains in the menswear section. There is also a depressing attempt at a window display in St Vincent de Paul's, which is, again, at the end of a potholed driveway. This op shop is a somber affair, looking to retire shortly into a nursing home.

I think this is a lovely op shop! I have been in several times and the staff have been…read moreexceptionally friendly, but never over bearing, each of them have seemed genuine and kind. The stock is the usual op shop affair, nothing extraordinary to note. The range of clothes are reasonably priced and the books even more so - I picked up a bunch recently for $1 each. A bit musty, but overall, neat, tidy ad nice!

Located right next to the Te Atatu Peninsula Library is this fantastic little Op shop. In the…read moreneighbourhood visiting, I decided to take a look because as we all know; second hand stores can be like a treasure chest at the best of times. After a short walk through, I could see books, home ware items, clothing, shoes, strollers, toys. Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at a Thomas the Tank engine. This toy was selling for 5 dollars, and my friend piped up; "Phoenix would be thrilled with that". I knew I had to get it! Well long story short is, he loves it, it works like magic and I found it in an Op shop! I love to explore stores and see what they have to offer; sometimes you walk out with nothing, we were lucky this time. You won't find a couch or TV, but you might find something useful for the time being.

I always like a browse in a op shop - you're giving them support and there are all sorts of little…read morenuggets of gold to be found there. This one is in Te Atatu Peninsula and I have browsed here on numerous occasions. There's plenty of clothes here but I am not so keen on wearing other peoples clothes - perhaps a jacket but not a t shirt or anything like that. The toys on offer seemed more appealing and the last time i was there I bought my nephew a couple of toy cars. One intriuging thing that caught my eye here was a selection of Jack Daniels merchandise - some Westie must have had a good clear out of his garage as there were shot glasses, trays, key rings and plates you could hang on the wall. Didn't really appeal to me but I reckon somebody will snap this stuff up. The staff here are exceptionally friendly and I must say it's one of the better Op Shops around.

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.

This op shop would have to be in my list of top 3! I found out today that they were previously in…read morePonsonby, then K Road, now in Avondale, but looking for new premises again. I hope they don't move too far away where ever they go! The woman behind the counter has always been really friendly, chatty and helpful when I have been in. They have a long rack of children's clothes for those with youngsters, a decent range of men's wear (generally x-large though), lots of women's clothes, books in an organised fashion, some great crockery (I have bought some matching vases) and glassware. The best bit really is that it is the most affordable I have seen in Auckland. Not only do they have a $1 rack out the front with decent enough clothes, but they also have on offer 50C containers of clothes (children's and adults). It offers prices that most of us would expect to pay for second hand. This isn't me being stingy, this is me being practical - these charity second hand shops support the needy and they sell to those of us who struggle to fill a wardrobe with brand new clothes. Keep up the good work guys!

This is a neat little op shop, I thought. While it doesn't really cater to guys as far as clothes…read morego (there was one little rack of shirts and an even smaller one of pants), it does better for women. As well as clothes it has a few children's toys, a few records, and books. The book selection was surprisingly good, I thought - quite a few new looking paperbacks, and an interesting mix of the usual thrillers and some more challenging fare. I asked the woman behind the counter how much the books were and she said they were all $2 except for the ones that said otherwise on front page. None of the ones I looked at said otherwise. The staff here are really friendly, chatty without being too in your face. They were happy just to let me browse through the books at my own pace, but available to answer questions when I had them.

This a pretty nice, although small, op shop on Sandringham Road. I had a bit of a browse and it…read moreseemed to have a good selection of women's clothes that fit into current fashions (i.e. many variations on hipster). I tried on some things (and they have changing rooms with curtains that close all the way, which I totally consider a major plus) which made me look bulky and fat so I didn't buy anything but the staff were nice and took the items off me so I wouldn't have to hang them up myself. The clothing prices were perhaps a bit dear for an op shop, especially considering some items were not in the newest of conditions. But the book prices were good (mostly $2) and they had a decent collection of novels I'd actually want to read and not heaps of Danielle Steele or cookbooks from the 80s.

This is quite a good little op shop, with very reasonable prices. They have a fair selection of…read morewomen's clothing and a small selection of mens, for about $4 an item. They do tend to err towards the elderly fashions, though. A great selection of sewing patterns and a bin of sewing remnants, HEAPS of furniture, lots of kitchen appliances, crockery, glasses, etc. Definitely some good bargains to be had!

This is a neat store. Fairly large. Has a wide variety of items to offer. Pricing is very…read moreaffordable. They have furniture, clothing, books, games, CD's, DVD's, bric-a-brac, homewares, tools...and renovation items such as a kitchen bench. Park you car outside the store. Will be back

I don't know how long this place has been around but it's like wandering into someone's garage…read moresale. There's stuff in no particular order scattered haphazardly about, some in boxes, some not. I walked in and had a good look around with the two women who I think run the place paying me no attention at all. I guess a lot of people just come to look. That's not to say it's not chocka full of bargains at prices cheaper than most op shops. There's "artworks", lightshades, plates, ornaments and a lot of other random homewares. It doesn't feel particularly permanent and the two large signs painted on the walls that someone's taken a lot of care with are actually from a previous incarnation as Lucy Mae Sparkle's boutique. Whatever, hopefully it will be around for a while yet. Bargain hunting galore.

If you live in or around Grey Lynn, you've probably seen the shop that sells secondhand items, cut…read moreprice trinkets and things that can only be featured in the "one man's trash is another man's treasure" section of homewares. Trouble is, no one really knows what the name of the place is, and generally just calls it "the junk shop". The owners don't appear to care that no one knows their name either - they haven't bothered to properly paint over the old fruit shop signage that still hangs above the door. Check my photo if you're looking for a pointer. If you're in the market for some cheap collectables to fill your home, this is the place. If you're willing to search throughout the store, or are even just lucky enough to be there at the right time, you might find something amazing. Otherwise, the place is generally packed with stuff that looks like it should cost no more than $10.

You need to be an independent shopper to get the most out of Fuzzy Vibes Junction. For a start, you…read morehave to be onto it enough to spot the entrance (it's easy to walk past!), although it helps that what there is of it is psychedelic. Then, once you venture down the stairs to the lair that is Fuzzy Vibes, you won't get any assistance from the staff. Can be a great thing or a terrible thing, depending on the kind of shopper you are and the kind of day you're having. But don't let me put you off, Fuzzy Vibes has a solid range of 1960s and 1970s gear, including shoes, bags, and wigs, and if it's something really groovy you're after (read: fancy dress) the range here is second to none in central Auckland.

Stepping down into this cave-like boutique is like stepping back in time to my childhood…read more Everything has been so carefully selected and it evokes Kiwiana circa 70s so incredibly well; you just walk around going "I remember that!" at every second object. Tin lunch boxes, the Game of Life, helmet hairdryers and more. The furniture and homewares are my favourite things down here but there's a lot of cool clothes too. Last time I visited I scored myself a couple of cool retro pieces of art for my walls and if you want a specific item of memorabilia, there's a chance you just might find it here. The prices are great although they know their stuff and you pay more for the rare items. Check it out and relive your youth, or if you're too young to remember come and get a small taste of what New Zealand was like before disposable imports took over.