All Sorts

When I’m walking down North Street, I’m often compelled to buy something, but I’m just not sure what. There are some stores that specialize in certain things, and when I walk past those stores, I think to myself, «You know, that’s too specific a thing you’re selling, and I’m looking for something more general.» So when I pass by a store called «All Sorts», that’s when I think, «Yeah, those are the types of things I want to buy! All sorts!» You now know of my thought process before I walk into a store…
Well, I didn’t find all sorts of things. And the sorts of things that interested me (a Kinder Bueno, and a bottle of water) were things I could buy at any newsagents. If you’re passing by, then, yes, you’ll be able to buy the things you would normally find at any newsagents. Just don’t expect to be bombarded by ‘all sorts’ of things when you walk in.

What with all the corner stores around here, its quite hard to be the best, and while I wouldn’t argue that All Sorts is, I would say it has the most originality. Like the name suggests, its more about having a broad variety than stocking traditional things (like crisps and beer) to a high standard. There’s a good lot of candles and stationary items — maybe to be used together for late night writing in the wilderness — and other what nots that make it a useful place to step in if your caught out by the more commercial places shutting early (as I was late one Sunday). It also boasts an internet café (or so the huge signs suggest) but seeing as I have it at home and on my mobile, I’ve not needed to test it out…

All Sorts is okay, and the staff are usually friendly. The main plus is the fairly large internet room upstairs, which is £1 an hour I think. Rather oddly they have a love tester outside — you put your hand on it and it reveals your inner passions or something — I think this is probably somewhat revealing about what they’re going for with their stock selection here… As Ross M. complained, there’s really not much in terms of food (although I found an okay tomato pasta pot there once when I was in a similarly desperate situation!), and the vast amount of snacks and soft drinks suggest they’re catering more for passing tourists and shoppers rather than workers or locals! All Sorts doesn’t really sell all sorts, and neighbouring late night newsagents Well Done is better for that. But on the other hand if you need some tobacco, or a chocolate bar — you’re all sorted!

This store is open very late, which is certainly a plus. That said, there’s no point being open at all hours if the products you have available aren’t of sufficient quality to be able to tempt potential customers to part with their cash. I visited this store just half an hour ago whilst on my way back from a friend”s house. It was pouring with rain, and, slightly hungry, and not needing much excuse to seek shelter, I darted inside here in order to grab something to eat. Unfortunately, although this store is advertised as supplying ‘allsorts’, I couldn’t find anything inside I’d actually want to eat, which was a definite pity. I still purchased a drink, as the soft drink selection here is quite good, but, that is the case at almost every newsagents in the Brighton area, and so I’m not really sure why anyone would choose to shop here, rather than somewhere else, beyond factors such as proximity or location.