ginadit

The problem with Warburton's is that I go in expecting to buy one specific thing and end up spending much more than I'd intended. The meat is always good and the displays sell the meat themselves! They do a lot of different meal ideas that you can buy and take home to cook including chicken kiev, crumbed schnitzels, marinated roasts, etc. Yes, most butchers do that but there's something about the display here and also the friendly service that's always on offer.

Chicken breast fillets at $6.99 (skin off, boneless) is incredible and might just be the big drawcard for many regular customers.

They always have fantastic specials and will always make something up for you if you ask (e.g. chicken kievs without the crumb coating).

Good service still exists!! :)

Newmarket Pool has plenty to do and lots of different options for kids, families and people who want to train. There is a cafe and lots of grassy areas to laze around on. On a busy day, the place is packed! Great to do laps on a weekday morning, even if you have to share a lane at times.

Parking is free and convenient and if you live near a train line, catch the train to Newmarket station and it's just a short walk.

Adequate under cover areas to swim in and there's also a fully covered pool (25m I think).

They also sell a range of togs, goggles, sunscreen and so on.

If you have little children, they'll love the wading pool with the squirting figures, fountains and slides.

Yep, Westfield Chermside has it all ... but do you have the energy or the inclination to walk from one end to the other? Remember when Westfields had those little 'trains' on wheels to cart shoppers around? Well now that Chermside is the biggest (or second biggest) shopping centre in Australia, you'd think they'd bring them back.

The carpark is usually a nightmare although admittedly, it's better since they introduced paid parking. I'm rarely there for longer than the free 3-hour period so it doesn't bother me at all.

Plenty of dining and shopping options plus a medical centre. Shop at Chermside whatever your budget including fairly high end.

Because of the cinemas, the centre is usually a mecca for teenagers. No problem with that unless you have a particular dislike for young people.

Lots to do, heaps to buy, miles to walk ... just as well there's a shoe shop every 100m or so!

What I love most about Centro Lutwyche is that everything I need - and not much that I don't - is there. I can get in, get what I need and get out.

Parking is NEVER a problem, there are no time limits and it's free AND entirely undercover. You don't even have to walk far.

There's Coles, an Aldi, Crazy Clarks, Terry White chemist, Commonwealth Bank, BWS, newsagent, post office, Rivers, hair salons, nail salon, butcher, bakery, Michel's Patisserie, EB Games, an Optus store and several other speciality stores.

The eatery never really changes and I wonder how the businesses stay afloat but they seem to.

The centre's business owners all appear to be happy and are usually pleasant and helpful.

I've been shopping there since I was a little girl and it's still my favourite place to get groceries because it's so easy.

Coles Lutwyche is undergoing a revamp. I'm hoping for a salad bar like the ones at Chermside but who knows.

There are a few old-timer staff members there who wear 25-year service badges and who are institutions in their own right! The store seems to run smoothly. I dislike the night filler activities before closing time when the aisles are full of equipment for moving stock around and the staff ignore you while they carry on loud conversations.

The range is good here and not as expensive as say, Newmarket.

I don't find the customer service very good here. I could be obviously looking for something or actively comparing products such as office furniture or computers and no one will come up to me to offer assistance.

In January I had to compile an anniversary album using the photo centre facilities. I gave up eventually because the system kept timing out and the staff in the copy centre seemed barely interested in helping.

Parking is plentiful including under-cover parking.

Bunnings is as much an outing as a place to shop. From the sausage sizzle outside to the kids' playground and coffee shop inside, there's always lots to do, see and buy.

My biggest bug-bear here though is that it can be hard to find someone when you have a question. When you do, they're always helpful but when you're pushing a large trolley, you don't want to be traipsing up and down the aisles looking for help. If there could be a 'doorbell' system at the end of each aisle with a light to indicate where a customer needs help, this would go a long way to improving customer service.

I dislike not being given a bag with my purchases. Parking is good. I find the no-right-turn on to Stafford Rd situation annoying but you can go through the back way via Windorah St.