Where to Shop in Auckland - Men's Clothing

I'm stating the obvious when I write that New Zealand doesn't carry the local brands young Filipino men are fond of like Bench, Penshoppe, Memo and Onesimus, but they do have Kiwi counterparts. Here's my list:

Since both the Philippines and New Zealand both have them, first on this list is Cotton On. Auckland has many Cotton On stores scattered around the city. They have one on Queen street and in all major malls like Sylvia Park and St. Lukes. They contain pretty much the same so if you forgot to buy something at the local Cotton On in SM, don't worry 'coz they might have it in Auckland.

When I went to New Zealand for the first time I brought a suit. It took a lot of space in my bag and I ended up wearing it only once. So if you're not sure if you're going to need a suit for your studies, don't bring one. Instead, you can shop at Barkers. They make excellent ready-to-wear suits, shirts and jackets. For those staying near Auckland University, the nearest store would be on High Street, behind Queen Street.

Barkers is a bit expensive though. If you want something more affordable, then there's Hallenstein Brothers (or simply Hallensteins). They also sell suits, jackets and shirts, but not as well-made as Barkers. If you're not too concerned with how you look and just want something to wear to that cocktail party, then you can buy your evening clothes here. They have a store on Queen Street.

The last on this list of men's clothing in Auckland would be Bing, Harris & Co (pictured at the top of this post). It's a local brand and they sell jeans, chinos and tees and shirts. It's like Bench and Memo. The designs are up-to-date and the prices are easy on the pocket. I've actually bought a bunch of stuff here. Their nearest store to uni is on High Street.

I know, I know, men don't like shopping. But we can't wear the same thing everyday, right? So during your schooling, you will have to shop for clothes, just to put some variety in your wardrobe.

Happy shopping, guys!

Where to Shop in Auckland - Discount Superstores

K-mart is in Westfield St. Lukes Mall.

New Zealand is an expensive place to live in. Rent is expensive. So is transportation and food. But, there are places of refuge. Auckland has a number of discount superstores you can go to to get cheap clothes and small appliances for your flat. First you have K-mart, yes, the US' former retail giant. They have one store here in Auckland at the Westfield St. Lukes mall. It's pretty much like a typical K-mart in the US. Lots of cheap stuff. If you don't care with brands and labels, this is a good place to go to.

The Warehouse at Downtown Shopping Centre.

Next there is New Zealand's answer to K-mart--The Warehouse. The stores I go to are located at Downtown Shopping Centre next to Britomart, and at Sylvia Park Mall. To paint you a picture of what you can get from The Warehouse, I got my pillows, duvet, trash bin, bookshelf and clothes dryer stand there.

Briscoes in Panmure.

Last on my short list is Briscoes. This place has no clothes. Just houseware and appliances. The store I frequent is located at Panmure. This is where you should go for small home appliances. Do NOT buy small appliances at The Warehouse because although they are cheaper, they are poorly made and may get busted early. For home appliances, you should definitely go to Briscoes. Mas mahal than The Warehouse, pero may mga sale at specials naman. I bought my electric blanket, clothes hangers, toaster and rice cooker here.

So if you find New Zealand expensive. Don't worry. Just visit K-mart, The Warehouse or Briscoes and your wallet won't feel the pinch that much.

Where to Shop in Auckland - Supermarkets

Countdown Supermarket on Quay Street.

Like any place, Auckland has different kinds of supermarkets to cater to different kinds of people. Here are the three main ones, plus two asian grocery stores.

Pak 'n Save in Sylvia Park Mall.

First on our list is Pak 'n Save. It is similar to warehouse supermarkets like Puregold and Shopwise back home. Items are cheap, but the selection is limited. Also, most of Pak 'n Save stores are located outside the CBD. The nearest from university would be the one in Sylvia Park. Roundtrip train ride would cost you about NZ$8. So only go there if you have a long grocery list.

Countdown on Victoria Street, CBD.

Next we have Countdown. Its equivalent in the Philippines would probably be SM Hypermart or Robinsons' Supermarket. They have a good variety of products, but not as cheap as Pak 'n Save. The good thing about Countdown though is that they have weekly specials. So what I do is wait for the items to go on sale, and that's when I buy. Also, I got their "suki" card called the One Card, and sometimes they have cheaper prices. The OneCard is free, so you might as well get one.

There are two Countdowns in the CBD. The one at the center is on Victoria Street, nearby the Auckland Sky Tower. But it's not as big as the other one on Quay Street. That branch is larger and open 24 hours.

New World in Wellington.

New World is the most expensive of the three. They say it's because it has the most variety, but if the items you wish to buy are in Pak 'n Save or Countdown, why even bother to pay a higher premium for the same things? New World is like Rustan's Fresh. Avoid at all cost. Only buy when there is no Pak 'n Save or Countdown in sight.

Tai Ping is on Beach Road.

The three main supermarkets don't carry everything Filipinos need (or want)--yes, not even New World. These western stores don't have Mang Tomas or Skyflakes or banana ketchup. For these items, I recommend you to go to the Asian grocery stores. On one end of the CBD, there is Tai Ping. This is located on Beach Road. They have some Filipino items here.

Lim Chour is located on K Road.

On the other end of the CBD, there is Lim Chour Supermarket. This place, in my opinion, has more variety of goods than Tai Ping. And it's cheaper too. They have a lot of Filipino products here. But I don't frequent this much since it's far from my flat. Lim Chour is located on Karanghape Road (K Road), at the end of Queen Street. If you stay in Grafton or Symonds, this is just walking distance.

So there. If you want the value for money, go to Pak 'n Save. For convenience, buy at Countdown. Avoid New World (although my friends tell me that on some days they do have specials). For Filipino or other Asian items not found in Pak 'n Save or Countdown, try Tai Ping or Lim Chour.

Happy shopping!

Where to Shop in Auckland - Daiso / Japanese Discount Stores

Just like in the Philippines they have Japanese Discount Stores here in Auckland. And they're very helpful when it comes to small household items like washing machine clothing bags, kitchen utensils, bathroom cleaners and even school supplies. Yun nga lang, hindi pa rin kasing mura tulad sa atin (PhP 88). They cost NZ$3.50 each, or about PhP 120. Still, mas mura pa rin compared sa regular shops dito.

So before you buy that item at the supermarket, pass by the Daiso shop first. Malay mo, mas mura.

Happy shopping!

Where to Shop in Auckland - Shopping Malls

Back in Manila, we have shopping malls on every corner--as in, literally next to each other! Think Greenbelt and Glorietta; Megamall, Podium and Shangrila; and, SM Northe EDSA and Trinoma. 

Here in New Zealand, however, because of the way, way smaller consumer population, that's not the case. Malls are few and far between. The biggest is the entire country is Sylvia Park Mall located in the Auckland suburb of Mount Wellington.

I'd say Sylvia Park resembles Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa, with number of alfresco dining options.

The shopping mall itself is just 2 storeys, unlike Megamall's 6 level. So, way less number and variety of stores, but the essentials are there. They have movie theaters (Hoyts), electronic goods (Dick Smith), clothing stores (Cotton On, etc.), shoes (Hush Puppies, etc.), fashion accessories (Sunglass Hut, etc.), children's clothes (Baby Factory), fast food restaurants (Mcdonald's, Burger Fuel, etc.), cafes (Starbucks, Gloria Jeans), and supermarkets (Pak 'n Save and Countdown). Sylvia Park mall is 15 minutes away from the CBD by train. Board at Britomart station. One way fare is NZ$4.50.

Westfield Downtown Shopping Center

There is one mall in the CBD. It's Westfield Downtown Shopping Centre right across Britomart, and next to the Ferry Terminal. It's small. It's like the new Cash & Carry mall ,without the supermarket and the movie theaters. It just has a few shops, a food court, and one local superstore called The Warehouse (more on this in another post). The only reason I go to Westfield Downtown is to visit the Mountain Designs store.

Westfield is like their Ayala Malls here. It owns a number of malls around the country. It has a bunch of others in Auckland, but most of them are scattered around the suburbs. Westfield Newmarket is probably the nearest to the CBD, but if you ask me it's not worth going to since it's only slightly larger than Downtown. Bigger and better ang Westfield St. Lukes. Hindi nga lang walking distance from the CBD. You have to ride the bus to get there.

Then there's Dress Smart outlet shopping mall in Onehunga. It's only one storey, but has way more better selections and at outlet prices. The shops I go to here are Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Mountain Designs, Cotton On, and Bing & Harris. In fairness, you can get great deals here. Bought a Cotton On shirt for NZ$12.50 (PhP450.00) and Columbia hiking pants for NZ$40.00 (PhP1,400.00). Last season nga lang, but who cares?

There's a free shuttle to Dress Smart from the CBD every weekday. It picks up passengers at the bus stop in front of Langham Hotel on Symonds St. at 9:20, 10:50, 12:20 and 2:20. If you miss the shuttle or if it's full, then you can take the train from Britomart to Onehunga Station for NZ$4.50 one way.

They say shopping is expensive in New Zealand, and they're probably right for most shops here. But if you keep your eyes open for the sales, stay patient, and/or go to the outlet stores, shopping can be affordable and competitive.

Where to Shop in Auckland - Winter/Outdoor Clothes

Kathmandu, Macpac and Bivouac in Sylvia Park mall

Winter jackets are just too expensive in Manila. Unless you can borrow from a relative or you get lucky at the ukay-ukay, it's better to buy your jackets and other winter gear here. Mahal ang regular price, oo, pero madami naman ang naka-sale or clearance (last season's collection), so lumalabas mas mura pa rin kumpara sa Manila.

First on our list is Kathmandu. It is an Aus/NZ outdoor clothing brand. Think of it as the Bench of outdoor clothing here. Quality of the products is not the best (compared to let's say North Face, Berghaus or Patagonia), but it will get you by. Kathmandu has baselayers, fleece pull-overs, down (insulated) jackets, softshells and rain jackets--the works! My tip for you is not to get the thickest (and usually the most expensive--from NZ$300 to NZ$400) jacket you find. Unless you're going camping on a snow capped mountain, you won't need that thick jacket. Instead, buy layers of clothing. You remove or put on layers depending on the weather, which fluctuates quite often within the day here in Auckland. One moment malamig, tapos mamaya a-araw, and then later uulan. So here are the essentials:

1. Buy a bunch of baselayers. Polyprops (NZ$20) or Wool/Merino (NZ$40).
2. Get a couple of fleece pull-overs (NZ$50).
3. Buy a down jacket (NZ$100). It's the puffy jacket filled with duck or goose feathers. 
4. And then a rain jacket (NZ$100-150).

Another tip is under any circumstances, do NOT buy at regular price in Kathmandu. Like I said, hindi naman siya high quality. Wait for the products to go on sale. Only buy at 50% off. Better if 70% off. 

The Kathmandu store I go to is on Queen Street. But they also have stores in Newmarket and Sylvia Park mall.

The next outdoor clothing brand is Macpac. Like Kathmandu, Macpac is an Aus/NZ brand. I think Macpac is slightly of higher quality than Kathmandu, but just the same, do NOT buy the regular price. Wait for it to go on sale.

There are two Macpac stores in the city. One is on Vulcan Lane (pictured above). and the other is at Britomart. 

For those more accustomed to US brands, there's Mountain Designs. I am a big fan of this store since they sell Columbia apparel. And they are cheaper compared to ROX, SM or Rustan's in Manila. For example, a Columbia insulated jacket at ROX was priced at PhP8,000.00. I bought the same jacket at Mountain Designs for PhP4,500.00 (NZ$140.00). A Columbia long sleeve shirt in Manila cost around PhP2,500. I got mine in Mountain Designs for just PhP1,200 (NZ$35).

The Mountain Design store I frequent is located inside Westfield Downtown Shopping Center, across Britomart. Meron din branches sa Newmarket at Sylvia Park mall.

Last on this list is Bivouac. Like Mountain Designs, Bivouac sells international brands. Mas higher end ang Bivouac. It holds North Face, Arc'teryx, Helly Hansen, Marmot, Outdoor Research and Patagonia, among others. So they are more expensive. However, nag-se-sale din dito. I bought a couple of caps and bags here.

The Bivouac store I go to is on Queen Street. They have another branch in Newmarket.