If you like your collectables or just toys in general, then this shop is for you…read more Whether adult or child it doesn't really matter here, as this shop caters for all ages. They do have everything from Beanie Babies and Bride of Chucky dolls! Also they have modern warfare packs and figurines you can paint. This is your one stop shop for everything toys!

Cool shop the products are good quality but it's slightly more expensive then it should be would…read morerecommend asian supermarkets for the japanese snacks it's much cheaper

KENJI is a gift store specialising in Japanese style culture and items, they have beverages and…read moreother items associated with Japan, it is a pretty new store to the mall. I was drawn in by a post which claimed they sold hand sanitisers and due to the current situation regarding Coronavirus (CONVID-19) it seems every pharmacy, drug-store or anywhere which would sell hand gels have been sold out however - They were advertising a product they did not sell - They were overpricing them heavily at £2.50 for a small one, which although isn't as bad as merchants on online giants such as eBay it still is around double the price it would be usually, which Boots and Superdrug still charge nearby if you're lucky enough to get your hands on one. The store also is so narrow, they've crammed so much stuff in a small place meaning it's so hard to walk around the store or find a specific product or even stop to look at something, the store did look good but even if the store is quiet, it isn't really made with the customer experience and ease of getting around the store in mind. Looking good and delivering a good customer-experience should go hand in hand, not one or another. Strangely, they had a drink selection with writing in Japanese I struggled to read allergen information and they didn't seem ready to drink they were lukewarm, being in a hot mall location without refrigerating them which is a bad idea. A Japanese themed gift-shop is a really exciting concept and it's a shame this store is more dire than exciting and fails to live up to its' great potential. 1*

A note to parents across the globe: Don't do it!…read more It's not that I have something against soft toys and cuddly bears - it's that Disney do everything they can to promote shitty gender stereotypes. Walk round this store and you'll see exactly what I mean. On one wall, there's dozens of pastel and bright pink costumes, fairy wings, crowns and little princess style accessories for girls. On the other, there's Superhero costumes, plastic swords and cowboy and astronaut figures for boys. Just think about the message this is sending to kids about and what defines them and what they should aspire to be when they grow up. Pretty lame, isn't it? To borrow a triusm from the American artist Jenny Holzer: Raise boys and girls the same way.

Whenever I get broody, I pop into the Disney Store to remind me how useful birth control is…read more Because while one day I can imagine myself with a couple of anklebiters, being bewildered by the likes of Hannah Montana and High School Musical means I'm not quite ready yet. What is it with kids and cheesy musical numbers sung by squeaky teenagers these days anyway? The Disney Store is a bit of a misleading name... I bought an ex partner of mine a gargantuan Tweety Pie mug from here once and Tweety's not been seen near a Disney character since Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Gosh what a great film. Anyway while you'll find plenty of little trinkets bearing the image of your favourite classic Looney Tunes and Disney characters, upstairs is reserved for the baffling likes of Camp Rock and their ilk. Backpacks, dolls, clothing - this is a store where pester power is king, so be warned. Without a doubt, one for Christmas shopping FOR a specific child rather than taking said child. If you ever want to watch a tantrum or two for a laugh, it's worth popping in here.

If Japanese cartoon culture is your thing then consider this your Manga Mecca…read more A veritable treasure trove of imported comics, figures, posters, cuddly toys and accessories this really is a well stocked and well informed establishment. However. Time spent in TOKYO15 & POPO15 + = very little sex. A large collection of adult toys

I have never been to Toys 'R' Us before. My first problem with it is that I don't know how to do a…read morebackwards 'R' on the computer. I went in searching for a small toy to give to a new-born relative. Upon entering, I couldn't believe how scary and overwhelming this place is! True, if you're a kid, this place is a flashing, brightly-coloured, magical dream. But for a normal adult, it's almost a bit too much. There are toys from floor to ceiling everywhere you look, massive models of famous Disney characters and huge Lego models. Wow. So many toys though. This place really does what it says on the tin.

I've been to many branches of Toys 'r' us over the years from when i was a child up until now i'm a…read moreparent. the Bolton store is neither fantastic nor poor, it's best described as decent. the stock levels are good, the layout is fairly user friendly and the staff are approachable once you manage to chase one and pin them down long enough to ask them something! The store is a nice decent size, not too big to be overwhelming but large enough to have a lot of stock without being cramped. the only downside is if you phone them, they have a very strange holding system that either cuts you off or plunges you into unknown depths of silence for an indeterminable amount of time!

MAJORLY dissapointed with this store…read more found every single member of staff rude, abusive, acting like the dont want to be there and not helpful in the slightest i wish i could say this was only once or twice but its every time we go in there. we had to buy all of our baby stuff from here as its nearest to our house and whilst attempting to open a store card we had to retuen several times, i was heavily pregnant and no chair was ever offered while we stood around waiting for the incompetant staff to try and work out what was wrong with their computer!! even the managers didnt know it turns out they had been trained wrongly/badly never have i ever recieved a smile or a friendly hello off anyone working their and when i tried to return a faulty item they didnt want to give me the time of day and sent me away and when i asked a lady who was stood around leaning on a cot and chatting to another member of staff for a demonstration for a pram i got a discuisted look as if i had interrupted her socialising and she grumpily showed me how to use it there are always large groups of staff stood talking to each other on the shop floor and never ever anough people on the tills. one if ure lucky!!!!

Toys R Us in Stockport is on the Peel Centre. It is an enormous store selling every toy and game…read moreyou can imagine. It is a great place just to go and browse, I could spend hours in there trying all the toys and testing the computer games! The staff are really friendly and willing to help. They are not the cheapest place for toys on the high street, but if you want to get everything for your children's Christmas in one place, it is ideal. They also have a baby section selling cots and bedding, and a bike section.

When I lived on Oldham Street many moons ago, I used to pop into Forbidden Planet on a weekly basis…read moreto pick up new copies of The Sandman, The Invisibles and other cool comics. These days, I only venture in now and again for something specific, like Reinhard Kleist's awesome graphic novel based on the life of Johnny Cash - I See A Darkness. For me, the layout and interior of Forbidden Planet lacks the ambience and wow factor of somewhere like Dave's Comics in Brighton but their range of comics, manga and graphic novels is faultless. For true fantatics and collectors, they also stock a massive range of cartoon, comic and pop culture memorabilia including tee-shirts, games, videos and toys. Personally, I have my eye on one of Frank Kozak's toy smoking rabbits complete with eye patch.

One of the best shops I have been to. A great selection of comics plus a continual supply of…read morespecial offers.

Oh man I used to LOVE the Early Learning Centre!! I passed it the other day whilst on a mad grown…read moreup style dash about town and was immediately hit in the face with a hundred childhood memories. Whilst blustering my way through the corridors of the Arndale, all puffed up with my panicked maturity (you know you all do it too- "God! There's just not enough hours in the day for my city professional existence!"- own up now), catching site of the ELC massive felled my Wednesday blues like a chainsaw on a Canadian Oak and like a real life Benjamin Button I instantly regressed by about twenty five years. I floated into the store without touching the floor- this wasn't MY childhood ELC but, it was an ELC all the same and I knew what I was there for! Then, disaster struck. Looking around I was faced with something alien, something electronic, where was the wooden train track, where was Noddy, what the FUCK was a Percy Pig?!!!! I used to think that I was from the 1980's. Now I know that I was from a time when make believe, magic and romance still existed for kids. Elves where real and the bogeyman could be kept at bay by a Postman Pat nightlight. The soundtrack to my childhood was the Knightrider theme tune, Ray Parker Junior, Huey Lewis and the News signing The Power of Love whilst little Michael J would shout "Doc! We're in 1985!". The soundtrack to the lives of today's children is the cold whooshing noise of a games console cooling itself down after being played with for eight hours straight?

Weirdly enough, when I was around fifteen years old and constantly making bangles, if I couldn't…read morequite make it to the bead shop I'd buy the jewellery making kits from the Early Learning Centre. And even as a supposed non-child (or at least, I claimed to be), I was always fascinated by the range of toys on offer and found myself testing them out. There's a toddler in all of us. I loved the St Ann's Square location, but as that's sadly defunct this large Arndale Centre offering is certainly a good substitute. And having met more people over the years with little people in tow, it's a great option for gifts which the more discerning parent will appreciate. After all, ELC isn't all loud noises and flashing lights. It's about education. And sheep that make funny bleatings when you squeeze them. Those are great fun.

House of Fraser is one of Manchester's oldest and most iconic department stores, it was founded in…read more1836 and the huge, impressive building on the heart of Deansgate is still going strong to its' day, despite being part of the House of Fraser group since the 1950s, and having its' current name since 2005, I like how they've stayed true to the roots and history of the store, by having its old name "Kendal, Milne and Co", still being clearly visible at the store's entrances, or Kendalls as it was known to locals. At Christmas, the decorations help light up and add to all of Deansgate, bringing a festive feel which even a Scrouge like myself can appreciate (but come on, just not in November - that's too early!) The facilities inside the store are good, for me with the fragrances, and high-end brands, as well as multiple lifts in the lobby, this feels like one of the Big American department stores, which I've only ever seen before in NYC, and London. The store isn't as good as it used to be, with some facilities/businesses located inside here closed, including a whole floor. With The Restaurant at House of Fraser gone, all that remains is a San Carlo Cichetti, which strangely is located directly opposite their main location in the city on King Street West. 4* - Pretty cool department store, it is sad to see the store deteriorating up until the inevitable closure which has been talked about for the past couple of years. This is currently one of the few branches remaining with many HOF stores closing down.

There's a touch of 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served? about House of Fraser. It's not just the fact…read moreit's the oldest and grandest department store in the city, it's the slow elevators, the confusing floor layouts and the fact you have to buy your clothes from the area you picked them up rather than any till. Trust me, I've tried and failed on different occasions! The thing that really makes me feel I'm wandering around Grace Brothers department store however, is the staff. They're not quite as camp or witty as Captain Peacock, Mrs Slocombe or Mr Humphries but there's definitely an element of disdain and snootiness when you approach them. This might infuriate some people but it always tickles me and makes me wonder if it's part of the staff training! There's beauty products on the ground floor, furniture and electronics on the top floors and lots of men, womens and childrenswear inbetween. Some of it I wouldn't be seen dead in but I usually see at least half a dozen things I like from one of their emerging or established designers. The only problem is, is there anyone to serve me?!