WH Smith

#494 Thank goodness for Stephen W’s quick review about WH Smith because I was in desperate need for printer paper and had no idea where to turn. The boyfriend had suggested The Works, but they only had a small amount of art supplies (sketch books, notepads, etc.). So, I turned to Unilocal and, lo and behold, there is ONE location in all of City Centre for printer paper and its WH Smith. Anyways, things are a bit cramped in the store, but you shouldn’t have too hard of a time finding what you need. The printer paper was located towards the back end of the store, while cheap books, postcards, and loose leaf paper are closer to the front. Everything is affordable, so just give it a go-​around if you need office supplies and the like.

This place is basically like an Office Depot. I use it to buy office supplies, phone cards, magazines, and the like. They always have what I am looking for, even if they call thumb tacks «push pins.» Convenient and not expensive.

WHSmith stocks news, stationary and books, and music. It stocks large range of newspapers and magazines, which are in the left hand side of the shop, along with confectionery. There is also a large range of cards and a small section of gift wrap. The stationary is on the right hand side, stocking everything you need when you go back to school, and they usually have vouchers or special promotions around that time. They have printers, ink cartridges, filing boxes, shredders, office stationary, envelopes, pens. Upstairs they have music — the latest chart of CD, and DVD, and some games. The prices are reasonable, slightly higher than a specialist in entertainment.
The books are upstairs too, having the latest chart in paperback and hardback, and different sections of the type of book, like fantasy, sci-​fi, so you can find things quite easily.
The staff are friendly and helpful, and the tills seem to be quite fast moving, although they try and do a lot of till point sells on things on their latest promotions. The prices are overall quite reasonable.

This shop isn’t quite sure what its target market is — it doesn’t have quite enough stationery for student needs (good for school children though), can’t quite compete with the big bookshops or CD/​DVD stores nearby, and doesn’t have as big a selection of toys and cards as other stores do. And yet it’s familiar, it’s easy to navigate, and people do choose it over the alternatives. Staff in this branch are usually friendly, although they don’t always know their stock as well as they might, and sometimes it’s hard to get an answer to a question that isn’t run of the mill. But they try.
The magazine section is good, although you still have to order very obscure titles, and although the new-​ish layout makes the tills slower than they used to be, there is a ‘paper and a drink’ till tucked away by the stairs that makes it a bit easier to pop in and out during busy periods.

You know what you’re getting with Smiths; the only problem with the Oxford branch is finding what you want. I always find it quicker to ask than to stubbornly bumble my way around.
The stationery is all good quality, with plenty of plain notepads, ringbinders and pens to satisfy those basic needs, but also lots of funky collections of things for your inner (or real) school child. I like the pencil cases — furry animals or shiny tins — and the ring binders with stripes or cartoon animals on. Yes, it’s childish, but if you’re going to do boring things involving filing, you might as well bring a bit of colour into it.
They so everything from printer paper to ink cartridges, calligraphy sets to sketching pencils, diaries and calendars, post-​its and hole punches. Your desktop will never have been so jazzed up.
The other half of the shop has a great range of magazines. It’s one of the only places in Oxford where you can get quite obscure magazines and is well worth checking out.
The staff are friendly and there are some good deals on chocolates as you whizz your way through the queue.