Rapid Discount Outlet

Rapid used to take up most of the units on Renshaw Street until it moved to its new home in the old George Henry Lee’s building.
I am a girl, and not a DIY savvy one at all. I have been in Rapid several times and I have had a vague idea of what I needed and that’s it. The staff are so helpful, even when you are DIY ignorant like me. They are happy to show you what you need to buy and explain it to you in lay mans terms. They do not try to sell you the most expensive options and will even tell you that the cheapest version is just as good if that’s the case.
The staff are very friendly and made me feel at ease in a place that was completely alien to me. I have always come out with exactly what I needed and some good advice too.

Rapid Hardware is a bit of a Liverpool institution. A family owned hardware store, over time it has slowly expanded its business until it has been able to move out of its former home on Renshaw Street (whose windows are now being used for art installations) and into a huge building situated on Williamson Square.
If you’re a DIY nut, you can get pretty much everything you heart desires at Rapid. It’s like B&Q, but with members of staff who are actually helpful and smile at you instead of scowling and grunting. Whilst in their former home they concentrated on selling hardware, nowadays they sell practically everything a person needs to furnish their home, from linen curtains to carpets to sofas. Apparently this new store even has its own café which sells Scouse — perfect if you’ve just had a hard day’s shopping trip!
Everything at Rapid is very reasonably priced and, quite frankly, it knocks the socks off of all the other major hardware stores out there. It’s definitely the only place you should go the next time you’re in Liverpool and need a handy hammer.

Rapid used to be a George Henry Lees Department store hence the department store style layout which can seem a bit like a maze when retrofitted as a DIY store. Perfectly central, this DIY store provides the answer to all sorts of home improvement jobs. It has a descent selection, although Taskers on Wavertree Road does technically offer more choice. The shop feels a bit more densely packed compared with Taskers but spans over a greater amount of floor space than what can be interpreted from walking past. I found the staff helpful and chose to buy paint from here out of convenience as much as anything else on the way back. Rapid also feels likes a classy shop on the inside, perhaps the after effect of a John Lewis owned store, a rare feel from a potentially run of the mill DIY shop.

Rapid DIY is a department store with a difference — it’s family run and owned which is nice to see in the days of B&Q and Argos monopolising the market. It’s located where John Lewis used to be, right underneath the Radio City tower, impossible to miss.
They used to concentrate on selling DIY and hardware, however now they sell everything under one roof, from linen curtains to carpets to the traditional DIY. The store has been recently refurbished, and now has a café instore which even sells the traditional scouse!
Everything is a reasonable price, considering it is an independent store and in my opinion is on track to compete with the big names in the business.

Rapid DIY is a brilliant all round department store serving several floors that once used to be the home of John Lewis. It has now expanded greatly and made the most of the former (and well recognised) George Henry Lee building. Rapid is now right in the heart of the city centre with many entrances you can’t fail to walk past.
The massive improvement is that the building is now fully refurbished to give customers an even better, brighter shopping experience all under one roof! It is still going to expand further in the not so distant future which is also great news.
Additionally, there is a fantastic Signature Café in store serving hot and cold wholesome Liverpool favourites, including scouse (one of my favourites)!
As a whole, Rapid is great value for money and has a huge range of quality goods. You won’t be disappointed.

Rapid started off as a small hardware store in Liverpool and have recently taken over what is known to many (and always will be) the George Henry Lee building. There used to be two stores before this move, one on Renshaw Street and one on Seel Street that was strictly furniture. The shop on Seel Street closed a while ago, and it was a shame to see it go (its now a Tesco) because when I got my first flat I bought 3 wardrobes (yes I needed 3) from that Rapid for less than £100 in total. It was a great little knock-​off furniture shop!
Anyway, now in Williamson Square and covering several floors, Rapid offers pretty much everything you could need for the home. There’s also a nice little café on the top floor too, which never seems to be too busy.
Rapid prides itself as as affordable hardware store, and it really is. Although it has gone from strength to strength it has still retained it’s family air about it, and even the security guards welcome you and offer assistance with more than just a nod and a smile. Nice to see a shop that has moved to greater things and still stayed grounded (ahem John Lewis!)