At first glance I thought this was just a typical, Cash Converters rip off type of joint. That was…read moreuntil about 12 months ago, when my fridge decided to just up and conk it at a very financially inconvenient time. What with two kids, a mortgage and car loan my husband and I weren't exactly in the position to go out and grab a brand new fisher and paykel. So we traipsed around Glenroy, the discount and op shops, all of whom either didn't stock fridges, or stocked second hand bangers for about the same price as a brand new fisher and paykel. Cash Traders was the last place and I wasn't even going to bother, but I'm glad I did. We scored a double door fridge with heaps of room and flashy compartments. Sure, it was second hand but it wasn't in bad nick and it was bigger and better than the one we had. And we got it for a steal at only $250! With a twelve month warranty!! How good is that! So don't write them off if you're in need of a bargain, they might just have what you're looking for at the price you need.

Great service. Highly recommend visiting the store. I purchased my iPhone from here. Very friendly…read morestaff

This is a great antique centre. Like most it has several small retailers that sell their own goods…read moreat their own prices as well as the owner who has the majority. Overall this is a well stocked venue with new stock arriving several times a week and prices may not be the absolute lowest you'll find but you can be sure you're getting what you pay for (unlike some more suburban alternatives)

This is my favourite destination along Maling Road…read more What once used to be an old theatre is now bursting with antiques and knick-knacks. The space is enormous and yet every square inch has got something fascinating hanging or place there. The beautiful old decorations of the theatre and the ceiling are merely a backdrop to the treasure troves you can hunt through. There is a large collection of porcelain and china, they always have beautiful glassware, and some interesting medals and maps near the front of the store. Keep your eyes out for some great pieces of jewellery in the glass cases, and up the back there's a small collection of clothes. That's about as organized as it gets. Furniture including beautifully maintained tables, chairs and sideboards line up along the walkways and prints depicting anything from a landscape or garden to a vintage 70s woman are scattered on the walls and in piles. The owners are extremely useful when it comes to locating something. They have a mental map of the hall that is baffling, and they are always up for a chat about the origins of something that has found their way into the store.

Poppin' tags! This is awesome! This good-sized thrift shop…read moreis well-organized, clean and the wares are clearly marked. They sort the clothing by gender and type of clothing, with regular ongoing sales on certain items. The prices were quite fair for the selection and quality of stuff they have. The shop is located along the iconic Chapel Street, where there's lots of weird vintage shops and eclectic clothing shops, so I figured this would be a good place to scope out some weird clothes. Storehouse didn't disappoint! They had ugly Christmas sweaters on display, and all kinds of old stuff. They not only sell clothes, but have plates, dishes, cups, bowls, and some cookware. They've got a good selection of old books at cheap prices, so if you leave the book on the train, it's not a big deal. The staff was on the ball, running the register and answering questions.

For anyone into vintage records, Dixon's is the place for you…read more There is such a huge selection they are bound to have exactly what you are looking for. I walk in and I don't know where to start. I could spend hours browsing through the offerings, and I often do! The cool thing about Dixon's, is you can not only buy all you old faves, but you can also sell your records there. On more than one occasion I have been tempted to take down mums Bony M collection because I'm sick of hearing it played everytime I go over! But that's a whole other story.. Dixon's also have a good range of DVD's, CD's and Bu Ray DVD's.

Growing up in Blackburn one of the most favourite things to do was head down to the second record…read moreplace and spend a Saturday flicking through records and CDs. The notion of buying and selling second hand goods only came to me after being in this store. The quality of wares is good - the Blackburn one having a stronger selection of Metal and Hard Rock than most of the others - and as it turns out they had to move due to the quantity of stock. Rest assured it only ended up being a few shops up the street, taking over an old garage and converting it into a huge warehouse space. There is even enough room to house a piano in the foyer area, though I'm yet to see any play it. The guys working there have been there since my early days in the store, and are keen music antiquity men and fonts of music knowledge. They can tell you who was having it off with who's girlfriend in the band while making a certain record. Their historical music gossip will make you blush.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence store in Brunswick East is an absolute gem of a place when moving…read morehouse or needing some replacement furniture. There you'll find an array of cheap second-hand sofas, chairs, desks, tables, fridges, microwaves, pieces of artwork and much more. If you don't have a car, they can even arrange delivery of your stuff if you live in the area. I found some amazing bar stools for $15 each, a lazyboy style chair for $25 and some cheap sofas at around $30 each. In short: it is an absolute treasure chest and you can also feel good about contributing to a well recognised charity that is working for an Australia that is free from poverty. Good luck exploring!

This is possibly my single favourite op shop in Melbourne…read more The clothes are very well laid-out by style and colour (e.g. All white t-shirts are together) although my OCD takes over occasionally and I find myself putting stuff elsewhere if I see it incorrectly stashed. The funky music always makes me smile, and there is a vintage section at the front where they have special items. They have a ton of adult clothing, some kids' stuff, books, a load of kitchenware, lots of furniture and jewellery. They are even open now on Sundays so I don't have to cram my weekend op shop fix into Saturday! The only thing I could think of to improve is to offer a few more hooks in the change rooms.

Not even a fire could keep this Vinnie's store down!…read more Having recently risen from the ashes of a fire that took out this and the business next door, I was surprised, and pleased to see that nothing had changed when I went back to visit. Still stocking a huge range of clothes, Vinnies in Bayswater also has a large furniture section, including heaps of retro household bits & pieces, beds, chairs and couches. The record section is good too, with the staff choosing to stock quality over quantity, so you don't have to hunt through 100 copies of the Kamahl Christmas album to get to the good stuff.

*Searches for EB Games on Yelp Search* *Sees that no one…read moreelse reviewed it and I have to add it myself* ...Should I feel like a complete nerd? Maybe. But that's okay. Because it's part of a shopping centre, this particular EB Games isn't that large so I can't be a huge fan of it. However, it does have a decent selection for a lot of the "main games", so if you're looking for something a lot more popular, you can trust this place. PC Gaming: This place is NOT very good for PC Gaming. They have much more of a Xbox or PS3 selection. This is a bit disappointing because PC Gaming is the wave of the future - better graphics and in my opinion, much better control. It sucks that some game shops don't respect it. Essentially, if you're more of an Xbox gamer, this is the store for you. It's not that big, so it'll be good for bigger-named games. However, if you're more of a gaming fan go elsewhere.

This EB Games outlet is my favourite in Melbourne. I've never had a bad customer experience here,…read morewhich is weird because I have had bad experiences at pretty much every other outlet I have been to. Sometimes they can get busy, so you might have to wait a little bit by the registers to get served - but once that service comes, there is always a smile. Prices are not fantastic, and that is the same across the chain. That being said, they often have hard-to-find items, and the pick-up from an online order will generally fulfil any niche desire you might have.

Beautiful vintage mid-century furniture, incredible retro lamps, an unparalleled selection of…read morevintage Playboy and Esquire magazines and more, Northcote's Retro-Active is the holy grail of vintage shops. Sure, a sixties armchair will set you back a cool $1800 but for dedicated window shoppers, serious collectors and more, Retro-Active is quite possibly the best vintage boutique in Northcote. If not one of Melbourne's best. I spotted a gorgeous rosewood shelving unit at around $1100 which is a lot, but when compared to the prices at bog standard high street furniture shops, impeccable design of a good vintage like this doesn't seem all that pricey. Staff are friendly and helpful, the shop is full of great stock without feeling like a museum and Retro-Active's buyer clearly knows their stuff. All in all an incredible little spot for vintage.

An appreciation for high quality modernist design and "retro" furnishings make this store a must…read morefor avid collectors of mid century design. Its uncluttered selection allows the store to be viewed more as a comfortable gallery than retail store. High quality accessories and selective danish furniture are cleverly arranged to feel inviting and allow the visitor to visualise practical home arrangements. The store also has a high kitsch factor with a strong 60's beach blanket vibe. There are vintage Playboy magazines, records, surf and chrome wheel memorabilia, lamps and interesting crockery. A standout feature was the Lea Stein brooches. Adorable jewellery, however I have seen similar in Chapel St Bazaar for slightly less $$. The furniture pricing is relatively high but the stock is unique and of good quality. Interesting for a browse or next "investment" piece.