This is, by far, the best charity shop i've ever visited…read more Shua is a charity based in the Vale of Glamorgan that specializes in emergency cat rescue and re-homing. As a huge cat lover, I'd probably rate this place highly purely on that basis but it just so happens it's fantastic too. Inside is clean, open, bright and well organized, which gives it the feeling of a little boutique shop and not a cluttered old charity shop. There's a huge selection of books, clothing and bric a brac all of which are of high quality and in great condition. I could spend hours there, plus, the volunteers are just so lovely and friendly. If you lose a cat in the area, it's worth dropping in with a poster as they will put it up in the shop window.

I visited Shua and was extremely impressed. What a lovely,…read morewell stocked shop. Best cat charity shop around. Make sure you take plenty of cash. Sharon.

Great for vintage furniture and decor, a small collection of vintage clothes too. Love itread more

Like nearly all charity shops, Scope offers your usual selection of second-hand clothes, books, CDs…read moreand knick knacks. Scope stands alone among Churchill Way's solicitors' offices, night clubs, and beauty therapy salons; you normally find clusters of charity shops in the Cathays/Roath sections of the city, or by the street leading to Cardiff Central Railway Station, so Scope is a welcomed good-conscious shopping retreat in the Queen Street area. It's worth mentioning that this particular location is one of most tidy charity shops around and a pleasure to browse through. The shop assistants are always lovely and up for a chat. As it's located right next door to my occasional hairdressers Toni & Guy, Scope is one of my favourite spots to spend a few minutes browsing before I get my locks chopped.

Psst... Pssssst... Would you like to know a secret?…read more This is one of the best charity shops in Cardiff. Which charity shop is the best in a given city is a pretty nebulous thing to try and gauge; given the nature of the business, their stock and the quality of the goods changes all the time. There are rarely any consistent staff members and there is no guarantee you'll ever get what you've been looking for. However, thanks to the location, this one is one of the better ones. It has the advantage of being where no one expects it to be, and because of this the people who already know about it, know about it and the people who don't are unlikely to amble in by accident. It actually has a rather regular customer base for its location; I've been in there a few times and seen the same people again and again, and I think this is due to consistency. Whereas the shops in Roath and Cathays are a constant bustle of activity, with people hunting out the best deals all the time, this Scope is a more relaxed affair, where you have more chance of actually getting something worth getting.

absolutely love this shop, they have such good prices & are so friendly, really love the vibes in…read morethere & the music is good, recommend a lot definitely worth going to!

From the owner: Vintage Clothing, Retro Clothingread more

According to their website, ValePlus provides educational, social and vocational opportunities for…read moreadults with learning and related disabilities in the Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff. They have bases in Barry and Llantwit Major as well as a retail training project called Nova. This is the first Nova charity shop I've visited, and I was really impressed by the quality of items in stock. All clothing (for men, women and children) was organised by size, making it much easier to browse the various displays. I found a cropped jumper for only £2.25, but had to leave it there as I (again!) failed to bring any cash with me. That'll teach me! Bibliophiles will marvel at the wall-size bookshelf with reasonably-priced titles for readers with a wide variety of tastes. Nova is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area - the selection is great and all of your proceeds will benefit a fantastic local charity.

Nova stocks everything that you'd expect to find in a Charity Shop, like clothes, books, shoes ,…read morebrick a brack, toys, DVDs, handbags and fashion jewellery. There is even a clothes stand with brand new items that were donated to Nova from other shops like Marks & Spencer. All items for sale are clean, in good condition and reasonably priced. Another good point is that they do have a changing cabin to try on clothes. Unfortunately some other Charity Shops have got rid of their cabins to maximize the available floor space, but Nova still having one makes it more convenient for the customer. The staff is always helpful and friendly, so please pop in, have a browse and support a local charity. :)

This is a great shop to have a rummage through, and you're likely to find something incredible…read moreevery time. Because this is vintage clothing, you often have to spend quite some time in this shop to find what you're looking for. This is sometime a bit frustrating when you've found something that you love, only to realise that they don't have it in your size. This isn't a high street store where they have everything neatly lined up and labelled; you have to really work at shopping in this store! And, of course, the staff have to be very helpful because of this. And they are. If they've spent 20 minutes searching with you for something, you feel terribly guilty if you then turn around and say you might give it a miss. The only issue with this place are the the high prices, as have been mentioned time and again by the frustrated shopper of Cardiff and the lovely other yelpers.

Probably Cardiff's best city centre retro / vintage store, Hobo's is a vibrant little shop that…read morecrams a lot into its tiny and rather cramped space. The shop mainly sells clothing and accessories spanning the decades since the 60s, although in the window display you'll also some odd gifts and novelties such as greetings cards, purses and even bathtime rubber ducks with bizarre designs - including one with a Rubik's cube theme. From second hand jeans, old leather jackets, and retro t-shirts to brightly patterned summer skirts and dresses, they have a really good clothing range and seem to update and add to their stock fairly frequently. You can also pick up retro style sunglasses, old belts, hats and other accessories. As is the case with most vintage stores, the prices aren't cheap - but for those of your who are students, Hobo's offers a helpful 10% discount.

One of the largest charity shops in town thanks to its expansive corner layout on the corner of…read moreCowbridge Road East and Clive Road in Canton. If you're on the hunt for that special item of clothing, you're better off going to smaller haunts down the road, as this Salvation Army's main draw is house wares and accessories. The shoe selection here is superior to its clothing offering, with each pair nearly as tidy as you'd expect in a high street store. I normally stop by if I've got a hankering for a one-of-a-kind accessory for my wardrobe, home, or listening pleasure - think hats and framed pictures, as well as other essentials like books and CDs (and cassettes if you're interested). You can even score a small piece of furniture if you're fortunate. It's a pleasure to browse this shop, as the ladies manning the till are cheerful and always up for a bit of friendly conversation.

This is one of the best charity shops on the city! It's great! It's like a jumble sale, but with…read morethings you would actually want. On the summer days, like today, they put boxes and racks of stock outside the front of the shop; making it feel like a garage sale. I challenge anyone to walk past on a day like today and not be forced to stop and have a look at the piles of stuff. It's a large charity shop as far as they go, with a huge variety of bits & pieces, like cameras and electronic goods to clothes, furniture and books. I already found a great old cannon camera I'm thinking about going back for tomorrow. The staff I met were all very young and will help you look for things that you can't find on the shop floor. They will also go and check the mountains of donations in the back room for you as well.

This particular charity shop intrigued me on my first ever walk down Cotham Hill and still draws me…read moreinside no matter how many times I walk past determined not to go in...again! The shop has the most colourful display window I have ever seen and a mountain of cuddly toys at the front of the shop ensures that mothers will be dragged in by their children. Most charity shops have racks of clothes to browse but this charity shop makes the whole process so much easier. The shop is divided into colours -an orange rack, a green rack, a yellow rack etc. Shirts, trousers, skirts and dresses of the same colour are held together which is extremely useful, especially if looking for a particular colour for fancy dress or for a top to match your new shoes. I definitely recommend this brilliant rainbow shop!

Aaah! I remember being 15 and thinking those pink bags were the coolest thing…read more In fact, I still do. The arcade in which The Real Mccoy sits feels a little bit magical and it's a great pastime to go and have a rummage around the pretty dresses and waistcoats. I used to think I'd get my wedding dress here and, while this hasn't quite turned into reality, I have bought many a good item (my first purchase here being a lime green boa which I thought was the business) and my partner has too. If you want to get some vintage haul and then go for a pretty decent cup of coffee then head here!

Next to Mansons guitar shop. Fab coffee,WiFi, nice people. Worth a go.read more

Why has this only just opened? Why couldn't it have opened last year when I was looking for…read morefurniture and was forced to go to Ikea instead? I was convinced that City Road/Crwys Road were populated with second hand furniture stores when I moved into my new house, but I was clearly hallucinating. So, I was so pleased to find this store had opened, next to that most ethical supermarket, The Coop. The shop has a vast floor and has a wide variety of new and used furniture, electricals and general stuff for the home. Sofa's a-go-go - ranging in proce from really cheap (and look it) to really reasonable three piece suites, leather and modern funiture. There is bedroom furniture from brand new pine stuff to more 'retro' good as well as a vast array of TVs from £10! We may not be talking plasma, wide screen HD TV here, but good enough for a games console or student bedroom to keep up to date with Corrie. Most pleasing was the appearance of reasonably priced and reasonable condition 1930s furniture including sideboards, wardrobes and dressing tables. When looking for this stuff before I was reduced to online and pseudo 'antique' shops which charged an arm and a leg. If you're a student, moving into your first house or generally want a slightly more retro look to your home then please check this shop out first before hitting the obvious!

Moving into a new place is an arduous process. You've got bills to worry about, bank accounts to…read morecontact and drain dry, boxes to move and people to buy beer and pizza for, parties to plan... Moving into an unfurnished place is even worse. Especially if you're of the studenty bent. Not only do you have all the previous issues to deal with, you've also got to source new furniture, gather funds to pay for said furniture, or buy and eat enough pizza to build furniture from the leftover boxes. You may think I'm joking about that last one. I'm not. I've seen it done. Wasn't comfy, but what you lacked in comfort you more than made up for in lots and lots of pizza. Here's where BHS steps in. Their second hand furniture and electrical store lets you furnish a house cheaply, and on top of that, you know your money is going to a good place, which appeals to all those kind-hearted students, and the cynical gits who are trying to hope on the good foot and do the bad thing with said kind-hearted students.