Pic ‘n’ Mix

This no-​frills bargain store sells a variety of snacks, household products and essentials at low prices and is situated smack-​bang in the middle of Erdington’s Wilton Market. Many products are available for £1 or less and there are plenty of offers advertised around the open-​plan store to draw in bargain-​hunters. On my visit though, I noticed that some products were priced in excess of £3.50, despite the fact they appeared as if they’d been hoisted straight out of a pound shop.
For me, the most unappealing thing about the place was its organisation. There seems to be no layout whatsoever; everything is simply stacked in piles in the middle of the store, meaning that rather than walking around and browsing at their own leisure, customers are forced to stand at the counter and attempt to literally point out what they want to the owner. Sure, Pic ‘n’ Mix is well priced, but so are most Pound shops and convenience stores, both of which practically line the streets in Erdington and tend to offer a much more pleasant shopping environment.