This is a great place to have a rummage around in. It's big and filled with all sorts - from…read morecrockery to prints, jewellery, postcards, furniture, and vintage mangazines. It's a more approachable kind of antique shop, by which I mean, you can go in and actually find things you can afford, plus, it's not the kind of place that gives you that dreaded feeling in your gut that if you turn around too quickly, you're going to break something worth more than your earn in a year. Which is never that much fun, is it? I recommend coming here to sift through their excellent button collection, which they sell individually - so handy if you're into reworking vintage clothes or crafts of any kind. Also, they have a cute and extensive range of vintage postcard, which are great for making unique birthday cards from. The jewellery is also definitely worth a rummage.

An interesting collection of antique odds and ends, including coins, jewellery, newspaper clippings…read more(there was one about the Titanic when it sunk - we are going back that far!), buttons, metal signs with the infamous Uncle Sam wanting to enlist you in the army, music sheets, ornaments and records. I felt like the things I found the most intriguing were at an affordable price range, which is so rare in antique stores! The shop owner seemed a bit preoccupied with his own thoughts, neither greeting nor asking if anyone wanted help. Perhaps it's boring on a Saturday morning, and he was away with the fairies? Anyway, it's sort of nice to be left to your own devices instead of having someone breathe down your neck in a store like this one. It's a place where dreams are inspired.

What a lovely, quaint shop filled with all kinds of treasures, new and old. During my visit, a…read moregorgeous little girl shows up, and the owner proudly introduces her as her granddaughter, Audrey - the shop is named after her. Such a cute thing! Whether you like an antique tea set, a porcelain ornament, some bunnykins memorabilia, a sweet scarf, a lovely piece of vintage furniture, or a nice chat with some friendly old ladies behind the counter, this is really the place to come. It has a lovely family vibe, rather than a posh, pretentious one often experienced in other antique places. It's a great place to explore next time you have a craving for something a little different.

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?

This place is a dreeeeam and I'm even hesitant to review it on here in case it becomes too 'known'…read more But I guess any publicity is good publicity for the business owners, right?! Think gorgeous French antiques, refurbished furniture and oodles of atmosphere. I would buy anything and everything, had I the money to do so. If you follow them on Facebook you can see what new items they have arriving in store. You can often find second-hand authentic Tolix chairs, industrial-style lights and shades and gorgeous, reasonably-priced vintage bottles. They hire out furniture too - perfect if you've got a function coming up or even just want extra seating at home over busy periods like Christmas.

This place defines 'local knowledge'. It's so hidden, I walked past it everyday for a year and…read moredidn't know it was there. When I eventually discovered it, I was so excited. Filled with French antique delights, its like a Parisian treasure trove. There are tables, chairs, huge lights, rustic medicine bottles, and cabinets packed with hundreds of gems. Loads of cafes like 'Foxtrot' have their antiques as their café furniture and if had my own house, I know where I'd be heading to fit it out. When I talked to the shop assistant he said that they also hire out the outdoor tables and chairs for functions. They would be perfect for weddings.

Whoa what a cool store- this store is what I would like my future apartment to look like with it's…read morecool vintage mix and match-ness of random objects and no rhyme or reason organisation that somehow just works. So many cool things to browse- it's like a garage sale combined with an op shop with a high end vintage store housed in a big warehouse. Has kitchen things, furniture, clothing, handy-man DIY knobs and pretty much anything under the sun as well as commercial products. Well worth a look!

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.

This is a hidden treasure trove just a kilometer out of Warkworth on the road to Matakana. It is…read morepart of the Matakana collectables trail, and owner Margie has had the business since 1976, so is clearly a place worth a visit. Filled with genuine vintage treasures that are all tastefully grouped and merchandised, you can find anything from gardening implements and kitchen utensils to clothes and wall hangings in here. A lot of the stock is actually supplied by locals, who bring in stuff to sell to Margie, and anything she thinks isn't suitable or doesn't sell during sale time she sends off to give to the local hospice. She also has a vibrant personality so is great to talk to whilst you peruse the vintage racks or browse through old postcards.

I was wondering the Cheltenham shops on Saturday arvo and this place was a pretty cool find…read more Cheltenham Curiosity Shop is a small local shop that sells a range of antiques from chandeliers, tables, couches, lamps to vinyl records, used postcards and other bits and bobs.

A cute little store with some interesting collectables​. If you like preserving a few memories from…read morepre-plastic​​ times, there are plenty on offer. We left with a few under our arms!