I drive past this store daily on my way to work. I am always impressed at how much detail and how…read morefrequently the staff are changing the window display. I am always tempted to check out their new stock. For such a tiny interior I am always impressed to note how clean and well organised everything is. They stock mainly clothes and manchester. The staff are young and always in good spirits.

I hadn't managed to get around to visiting a gaming shop for a while, so when one of my gaming…read moregroups decided to have a special event here I made a huge effort to come and check it out. Okay, I had been past here a couple of times, but had never had the desire, or the time, to pop in and have a look around. Anyway, like a lot of gaming shops, the focus these days tends to be Euro-games and card games, however they do have a small collection of roleplaying games, but the collection is somewhat smallish. However, they also have gaming rooms, and on top of the gaming events, they also have some special nights, including a caberet night, which I have to admit is pretty cool.

BOARD GAMES! I have a minor obsession with them... Not so much because I love playing them super…read moreoften (maybe by candlelight when there's been a blackout or on Christmas night), but I really love the aesthetic of them. Is that weird? Gatekeeper Games has every shape/form/fashion of board games. I popped in to make a VERY important purchase... Cards Against Humanity. I walked in and asked where I might find it, as essentially this store is like a library of games - you really do need a bit of direction. They immediately pointed it out to me and took me through the different editions of the game (Australian, American, British) and I quickly made a purchase. I was in and out in just a few minutes - that is efficient customer service! You will also find games including Warhammer, Star Wars Rebellion, Game of Thrones - everything you could imagine. Also, Gatekeeper Games also regularly holds gaming nights - so if you in the market to make new friends and play fun games, you now know where to head.

This EB store is awesome! It's not like the typical EBs you get more commonly in other places in…read moreAustralia. The mall level entrance has games and consuls as per usual. However, upstairs there's a Nintendo level upstairs where there is both Nintendo merchandise and consoles. You can try various consoles or play with mates (or strangers!) and see older consuls as well. It's like a mini version of the Nintendo store in New York! There are items here I haven't seen in any other EB stores. There's also a huge range of Pop vinyls with lots of new items I haven't seen in any other toy stores, like Beca from Pitch Perfect. Love it!

Have always had good experiences at this store, workers remember me and say hi when I enter. They…read morehave dealt with any returns or issues immediately and without any fuss. The only thing to be aware of is new prices are high generally when shop is not having sale but used games can contain great deals. Better than other EB Game stores

Lady petrova has amazing customer service, like amazing. Did I say it was amazing?…read moreI wanted to buy a dress before going overseas and they put it on hold for more than a week. I was desperate for the dress and ended up not buying it due to last minute work commitments so i wouldn't be able to pick it up before I left. I am definitely going back to buy other unique pretty feminine amazing stuff they have. A bit pricey personally (literally the only negative, but it's a brand so what do I expect) but some of their things are so amazing I'd rather live off noodles for a month than go without. Their stuff is so pretty and slightly weird in only the best way and I haven't seen a shop like it. Give it a go!

With so many second hand markets around these days, it's really a hit and miss as to whether you…read morewill luck upon scoring a good find for a decent price. Fitzroy market is a small market at the Fitzroy Primary School that has a well edited selection of clothes, books, shoes, bits and bobs. There is definitely an element of 'Fitzroy cool' at the market, with a younger range of sellers. Note, when I say younger, I'm talking 20-30s (which is the age bracket I fall in). This is one of my favorite markets around at the moment.

Great little local market held in the grounds of Fitzroy Primary School on the third Saturday of…read moreevery month in 2012 (it's previously been the first Saturday of the month). Mostly secondhand clothes, records, toys and bric-a-brac - almost always at very reasonable prices. Not many food and drink options: a sausage sizzle and a very good coffee stall, but there's plenty of other cafes and bakeries nearby on Smith or Brunswick Streets if that doesn't take your fancy. Entry by gold coin donation.

Koorong is a Christian store, and supply a large variety of items despite being labelled a 'book…read morestore'. I'm not personally very religious and had to walk in to buy a prop for a show, but the atmosphere was actually very pleasant and the variety of items were interesting to inspect. They sell books, DVD's, pictures, statues, jewellery and pretty much anything you can think of. Their website shows their full catalogue too. The staff were very helpful and friendly, and the whole store just protruded positivity and happiness. If anything was to convert me, it'd probably be this store! Haha.

A great shopping mall! This place has really picked up over the years! Lots of amazing shops! A…read moreplace to get some great buys! I go here often for my lunch break and head back to work with bags of shopping. I just can't help it. There is always new shops and new items to buy! Omg I love sales racks! :-)

This is a bit of a tricky one to review as there is pretty high store turnover so if anything I…read moremention here appeals, check online that it's still there before you visit. If jewellery is your thing and you're on a tight budget, check out Lovisa. They have a great range of classic and cool styles. Much of it is a lot cheaper than their normal stores. Thanks to their outlet, I now own more pairs of earrings than I will probably ever wear. The Cotton On outlet is enormous. In addition to the standard Cotton On men's and women's ranges, they also stock sister brand Rubi Shoes. They often have cute shoes crazy cheap eg. 3 pairs for $10 deals are not uncommon. Look out for the cute $2 tote bags too. As the normal Strandbag stores are pretty reasonably priced the savings at the outlet don't tend to be massive but it is still worth a look. The outlet has a great selection and I've always been really happy with the quality of what I brought there. If you're into stationery don't miss checking out Typo. They often have great journals and notebooks on sale. I really need to stop buying those! Trade Secret is an interesting store to have a browse in. They stock a very large range of assorted fashion and home-ware items from a range of designers. There isn't many of each particular item so it takes a bit of rummaging through the racks. Personally I haven't had much success in there but you're a size that a lot of designers like to make for you might get lucky.

If you want to get a good slice of living in a certain suburb, look no further than their local op…read moreshop. Unlike those that become chains and spread their good everywhere, the true locals can almost appear like some sort of time capsule. One thing I've started doing is going through the music and book collections more and more. I think maybe this gives a very different insight into the place. The Epilepsy Op Shop, located on South Parade near Blackburn Station, is one such op shop. The ladies behind the counter are courteous and friendly, and while you may have to speak up they can tell you all about the bits and pieces in here. The clothes are more fashion suited for women, with their flowing skirts and floral prints. My girlfriend managed to come across quite a few winners here, though the clothes I get for myself have more of a novelty value.. There's a lot of craft pieces - buttons, zippers and more - towards the back for those looking to adapt their own pieces from the clothes they buy, and the small range of furniture taking up the remaining space is hit and miss.