Pagoda Tree The

I’m just going to put it out there that I don’t really like giving gifts. I am very much of the school of thought that gifts are unnecessary burdens that leave gift receivers indebted to gift givers. and to top it all off they have to wear some ugly piece of jewellery just to please someone else. Someone they might not even like. My own personal grievances aside, should you feel like purchasing something completely nonessential that looks pretty and might whistle when pressed just so, then the Pagoda Tree is a good place to look. Here you will all you don’t need, but probably want anyway because it’s retro or has polka dots. Most of the items in here are for novelty purposes only, except for the clocks and pens because I suppose they serve their purpose.
I suppose you’re wondering why I gave this place a 4 star rating? Well it just so happens that I enjoy gifts that are clever. Why have an ordinary pencil sharpener when you can have one that resembles a camera? Or how about a pair of scissors shaped like rabbit ears? Okay, okay. It’s all remarkably kitschy, but there’s something about this store that is fun. The prices aren’t too steep either, so you won’t feel completely robbed either. Pagoda, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

I love gift shops, I always go in looking for a gift for someone else and come out with something for myself every time. But Pagoda Tree is a bit of an exception.
At first glance I was really excitied to go in — they had apronsand tea towels outside with 1920s images and slogans on them, as well as all sorts of weird and wonderful things in the window. But once inside I realised they had put all the good stuff out there to entice you in, but then they don’t follow-​up on the promise once inside.
90% of this shop is full of crap that you would never buy for anyone. When I was in primary school we used to go on a school trip to this rubbish farm every year, and at the end of the day we would spend all the money we had with us on pencils, rubbers, mugs and useless rubbish in the gift shop at the exit. The Pagoda Tree reminds me quite a bit of that gift shop.

As a business graduate, I am always baffled by how gift stores manage to survive economically. If you think about it, they provide fairly expensive versions of things most people don’t really need; fancy bottle openers, $ 10 birthday cards, Buddha statues, and novelty bits and pieces just to name a few.
Well, The Pagoda Tree is your quintessential gift store. I went in because I had a birthday card and wrapping paper to buy. It’s small and very cramped, and my movements depended heavily on the movements of the employee who was working at the time (it was just us two inside thank God). Everything I grabbed was over $ 30 including random things like this bottle opener in the shape of a woman’s leg. I ended up purchasing a $ 5 birthday card but only because it was for my God-​daughter and it was very cute. I then promptly left while tightly clutching my wallet as to not spend anymore money on pointless items…

There will eventually be an occasion whereby I feel the need to shop in a giftstore full of generic type gifts, I’m sure of it but to date I haven’t been unfortunate enough. If you do need something nice and irrelevant as a gift (such as for a partners parent’s anniversary or something of the sort) then I’m sure you will find it here, surely, there’s so much on the shelves that people have to be buying it.

You know those gift shops full of kitsch homeware and novelty items that you look round for ages thinking, ‘oooh, this is nice, this would make a good gift,’ but never actually buy anything from? Well at first glance, The Pagoda Tree seemed like one of those. But then — lo and behold — I actually bought something from there. It was a little novelty book — which at first glance looked like one of those novelty books that seems vaguely amusing but is actually crap. But I flicked through and — lo and behold — it was actually hilarious and I just had to buy it as a gift for someone. It didn’t even matter who. I just had to share it. They also have a shelf dedicated to Russian dolls, from teeny tiny ones to big fatties, which I love. So if you’re after a gift shop that sells things that you actually might buy, check this one out.