Howells, House of Fraser (Stores)

Still has the proper feel of the old “Are You Being Served?” department store, I’ve been shopping there since my Mum took me around as a child over 50 years ago.
Wonderful atmosphere and top quality.

A huge store spanning back decades.
The store has everything, from makeup, designer clothes, a cafe, food, a technology store, a hairdresser’s and probably much more!

Always loads of staff there.

I only go to the clothing and technology section. They have a great range of clothing, from many designers, including some that aren’t that well known, amongst the general public.

Its always been a great place to pick up presents for friends and family.

posh n a bit old skool!

I LOVE Howells. I especially love the old staircase at the back which goes up from accessories to womenswear simply BECAUSE it is still as it was in the 1970’s when I was a teenager - ahhh, nostalgia.
I LOVE the fact that it still has carpets, still has funny little nooks and crannies like a traditional department store, has low lighting (not all that garish in your face stuff), and hasn’t capitulated to having all those horrid glass escalators and glass atria which modern mall architects are so fond of and just make you feel ill :(

I love the fact that it has an identity of it’s own. Who ever calls it 'House of Fraser’ ? - everyone knows it as 'Howells’ and the owners should remember that and not try to re-brand it in some mad dash to out-do the new John Lewis.

I haven’t a clue what I’ll do for clothes if Howells can’t stay afloat! The concessions are great and I can just move from 'room’ to 'room’ and get so much without having to go outside. I love Max Mara and Whistles, and Seven jeans and Ted Baker and all that Lingerie and cosmetics - just add in a few more womens’ diffusion names such as See by Chloe, Marc by Marc Jacobs, By malene Birger etc and I’ll be in heaven.

Howells is a great shop for nice clothes and furnishings.
It retains the feel of a classic British department store - the highlight being deli area - a must for cake and chocolate lovers!

The last time I was in here was before the center was basically torn down and rebuilt as the new St David’s mall connected to the Queens Arcade.

This was a nice House of Fraser and I had some very helpful staff members who assisted me looking for warm winter coats and Green Tea scented stuff. They were very helpful and I managed to get everything I needed despite feeling like I had to walk around all of 2 floors to do it :-)

It was a pretty much standard Huse of Fraser though and really they don’t vary too much from city to city unlike Debenhams where I found laver bread, a Welsh specialty and other Welsh foods on sale (which would not happen in Oxford or London!).

part of the house of frazer group.various conssessions within the impressive building.styles to suit all tastes although tends to be more for the slightly older person.Not cheap and worth alook for something special-weddings balls etc.Great make up section along side gifts and perfume.a great place to mooch around for ideas.

Howells is a great place to go to if you have a few hours to spare. Not really one to visit when you’re in a hurry unless you know exactly where you headed.

From outside the buildings look very grand and impressive as do many of the buildings on St Mary Street. The inside of Howells however can be confusing as there are so many levels and sub levels, and guaranteed when you come across an escalator it will be heading in the wrong direction to the one you want - so I always opt for the stairs as I get a better sense of the building.

But aside from this, amongst the pricey designer items you can find some real bargains. The food hall is excellent, stocking many American and continental lines (at price though). Near the tills you can find a bargain section for items that are close to their sell-by date some of which can be a real find.

Howells also have a Nails Inc section, Paperchase, and an extensive cosmetics department as well as electricals, kitchenware and clothing.

This used to be the flagship store of Cardiff. A traditional department store, it embodied the values of quality, good service and old fashioned charm. Times have moved on and Howells (now part of the House of Fraser group) has been left behind. It has struggled to attract a younger clientelle and its prices are higher than its competitors. The staff are slightly snooty and are often too preoccupied with their own gossip to pay attention to customers. It has a wide range of up-market brand names, but does not match this with good customer care. This store is great to browse in and to get new ideas, but then take your money and spend it somewhere more welcoming. There are plenty of other boutique and department stores to choose from in Cardiff.

Howells is a real institution in St Marys Street, Cardiff. Its located in a lovely old building which gives it a real sense of character. There’s nothing old fashioned about its products though - these days Howells House of Fraser caters for a really young demography of shopper - the first floor is almost entirely dedicated to young women’s fashion whilst the ground floor is full of beauty stands where the smell of the perfumes can often be enough to give you an attack of the vapours! Watch out for their sales - they have excellent bargains in their Homeware department. Nevertheless, a good all round department store.

High end department store (part of the House of Fraser chain) that has a truly irresistible food hall downstairs selling high quality, fresh produce and deli items. There is also a confectionary area and a corner for continental and American imports. The wine hall (next door) sells a massive array of delicious wines, champagnes and spirits including Welsh brands like Penderyn, Brecon gin etc.
Moving on from the food and drink area there’s a large stationary range (Paperchase) and huge cosmetics section seeling all the top brand like Creme de mer and Origins.
Big clothing range fill up the remaining floors of the building and a large crockery and electronics section downstairs.
Everything you want under one roof!

Howells is brilliant if your looking for something abit special. From gifts and clothing to perfume and food howells really does have everything under one roof. It is more expensive than the average but this is refelected in the quality.

On first impressions, Howells seems highly expensive, but that’s only if you take a quick glance at what this store has to offer! With a delightful food court, where you can find a huge range of chocolates, liqueurs, cheeses and cakes, you will never get tired of Howells. Their clothes department include many popular brands like French Connection, Replay and Morgan :) and their cosmetics counters are so friendly!I would recommend their restaurants as they are to die for!

Howells stocks many different designers all in one shop which is ideal for people who dont like looking around shops all day. They also have a food section which sells well over priced american cereal Lucky Charms.

Howells is amazing its got everything all under one roof. The perfume section has every fragrance you could ever think of and all the designer labels under one roof.

Fantastic place to shop, a one stop shop for everything you need. However can be expensive, fab for that special out fit for a party or a wedding

I’ve visited howells house of frasier a number of times & its a great depertment store selling mens & womens clothing, beauty & cosmetics, food the list goes on! A great department store

My only experience of ‘Howells’ is the Food Hall. This is where I buy all my fresh coffee, specialist chocolates and rare wine and spirits. Although the House of Fraiser brand is not known for being cheap, their always seems to be great offers in the Food Hall.

As well as the above, the Food Hall has a great Deli counter where you can buy anything from Pasties and Cheese to Sausage and scrumptious cakes!

A very respectable department store in the heart of Cardiff. Part of the House of Fraser group, there's everything here that you'd expect. The Food Hall is great with deli counters, bakery and specialised items from around the world. The brands stocked in the clothing departments range from the dowdy to the more contemporary, so there's something for all tastes. Also, probably the best perfume/cosmetics selection in Cardiff too.

There are a number of dining options, although these are best for a tea break rather than a pleasurable lunch.