I've got gadgets and gizmos galore! (The Gadget Shop)

Member Name: MandyMinx

Product:	The Gadget Shop
Date:	17/12/03 (303 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, Entertaining

Disadvantages: time consuming

If there is one shop in the city centre that is an absolute must when I am in town shopping with the children it's the gadget shop. Please note that when I say children I do include the 40 year old slightly balding man that likes to follow me around making tutting noises whenever I open my purse.

The Gadget shop in Nottingham is actually rather small but the space is used extremely well. Most of the stock is stored in large glass cabinets that span the outer edges of the shop, protecting the more fragile offerings from sticky fingers and hiding the more risqué examples from small, inquisitive eyes. The great thing about this practical use of space is that it leaves the centre of the shop clear for all sorts of toys, games and gadgets to be displayed where they can be touched, played with and generally enjoyed. The shop is brightly lit and everything is very nicely displayed and more importantly, clearly priced.
This particular shop sends out a very clear invitation to people walking past. There are clockwork spiders crawling up the window and the shooting to the floor. There are monkeys holding onto branches and dancing in the window, to the delight of any children who happen to be passing. Overhead there are mechanical birds and world war one bi planes circling the room and the last time I went in there was a UFO hovering in mid air in front of me. (Of course hubby now wants one for Christmas!)

So what do they sell? Well, as the name suggests they sell gadgets. Fun things. Things with no other purpose in life than to encourage amusement and have grown men snickering in corners because they have found something that makes a farting noise whenever someone enters the room. They sell toys for everyone. Homer Simpson Dartboards and snooker tables, dancing hamsters, plasm lights, glow sticks, inflatables, rude Bluefoot bears and so much more. They sell cookie jars that talk and clocks that fart and robots that do somersaults.

My persona
l favourite gadget at the moment is their bulls*it alert. This is a gadget that you hide in the house and you have a tiny remote that fits in the palm of your hand. When someone starts to exaggerate or tell a tall story you press the button and the box emits a different phrase or saying. If you met some of my brother in laws you would realise that this sort of gadget would get plenty of use when they came calling. I would love to see their faces when from behind the sofa came "The air is ripe with the sweet smell of bulls*hit. Can ya smell it?"

Another of their new offerings is a game where up to four players each hold onto a handle, attached to a computerised base. The idea is that when the music stops everyone has to press the button on the top and the last one to press gets a small electric shock. We were laughing for ages in the shop as the assistants carried the game around the shop trying to get people to challenge them. The look on peoples faces was really funny. You can't even cheat, as if you press the button too early you get the shock anyway.
All of these gadgets are on display in the shop and available for you to try.


Staff at the gadget shop have been specially chosen by using the 'big kid' formula in my opinion. They are easily identified by their black trousers and white gadget shop T shirts and these guys are up for fun. I have never seen a frown on any of the faces of any of the staff in this shop. The smiles are genuine and none of them look as if underneath their smiles is a desperate soul who would rather be anywhere else than serving you.
They wander the shop encouraging people to touch, try and play with the gadgets on display. They are knowledgeable, easy to approach and very pleasant. Not bad seeing as this shop is always full of kids with very little money but very inquisitive fingers and dozens of questions.
The shop can get quite busy but I have never had to queue for longer than a f
ew minutes to be served.


When it comes to the prices in the gadget shop, compared to many of the gadgets sold in other shops, they are very competitive. One of the policies I like is that things aren't sold with what for some stores is the obligatory 99p tag. All the prices are in whole pounds, no pence. (They have a really great January Sale!)
Importantly, gadgets are of a good quality. I find that often goods of this type tend to be rather flimsy and badly made. Very often I think some manufacturer's rely on the novelty of an item to sell it, rather than the quality. Everything I have bought from this shop has been of very good quality.

When making a purchase gadgets are carefully packed and on one occasion when I had to take something back, they were more than happy to change my toy and offered a refund as an alternative.

In my opinion the enthusiasm of the staff, the bright and clever displays, the whole pound price policy and the clever gadgets available serve to make this store almost magnetic. I can't think of many occasions when I have passed by without going in for a quick look at what's on offer. It's nice to go into a shop and not have to worry that the children will get into trouble for touching something they shouldn't.

Many of the shops I visit are visited out of necessity. This is one shop I choose to go to. It's fun and it's funky. What more can you ask for.


The branch I refer to is in the Victoria Centre, Nottingham. It's open 7 days a week form 9.00 till 5.30.

Check it out. I am sure you won't be disappointed.

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