This is a Christmas shop at Melbourne Australia. We are visiting from the United States and was…read morestruck by this place because they were selling massive amounts of Christmas decorations. They are open all year round and sell Christmas stuff all year round. They have several decorated Chrstimad tree. They christmas trees have different motives/ themes. They have tons of Christmas ornaments and decorations. They have blue, gold, silver and all sorts of colors of ornaments and decorations. This is a great place to get ideas on how to decorate your trees and what ornaments to use. The staff members were cheerful and friendly. The walkway is kinna narrow and only fits a couple of persons at a time because they place is packed with gorgeous Christmas decors.

I stumbled into Ambiance during my first trip to Vic Markets, and was left in awe…read more They have about 6 different rooms that are completely filled with stuff. Each room is color themed, and in the back... there is an outdoor white room! They have the cutest decorative bird cages, and chandeliers in the white room. And wherever you look, it's impossible to find a blank space, in the entire store. It's so interesting gazing at everything that they have. Figurines, Carousels, Christmas tree ornaments, stockings, Venetian masks, tea sets, there is so much here. I've returned numerous times, either to look around again, show someone it, or even buy a present. It's such a cute store, and the staff is so pleasant. It's a definite go-to place if you are in the Vic Market area.

This pink-tastic building is a smorgasbord of accessories, jewellery, handbags, ornaments, cards…read moreand knick knacks of different styles and tastes. There's even a Christmas section out the back of the second room (though it's doubtful as to whether it's there year round), chock full of tinsel, Santas, wrapping paper and tree decorations. The sales assistant will throw out prices and discounts as you wander the shop but is thankfully content to leave the salesmanship at that, so you're informed but not pestered. Like most gift shops, some of the stock is a tad on the random side, but just might be the very thing you're looking for. There's less of the notebook/journal/diary style of gift and more of jewellery and sunglasses (the latter of which were a tad dusty, but hey, they're UV ray protected) and patience will reap rewards. The prices are low, and eftpos is available. If you're in the area, it's worth a peek, particularly if you've got an occasion requiring some kind of gift exchanging coming up.

Giftique has a little bit of everything and rates pretty high on my list of variety shops…read more The stock is clean, the store is laid out well and there is no awful smell. I have said it before and I will say it again - while these are basic they are seriously important. As well as covering the basics, the store also has a lot of good quality items. I found some groovy garden ornaments that were priced well at around $8. There was also an awesome money box pig with a funny facial expression. There were items including: - stationery - vases - jewellery - costumes - tupperware - boxes and wrapping paper - and much more. The lady behind the counter greeted us on the way in and didn't say much else. I don't expect much more than that in a variety shop so that was good. I definitely recommend this place for some good quality stuff.

Shop 800 is a little less themed than some of the other vintage and mixed gift shops in the area,…read morebut it's got some good stuff. I spotted a pair of vintage binoculars and a compact that'd look smart in anyone's handbag. There're a few prints and other small works of artwork dotted throughout the shop and a lot of hand creams and other beauty products. There's only a small selection of clothes and last I went in there wasn't anything to get me too excited, but there're a lot of retro, fabric based toys and bits and bobs that are pretty cool. It's a good spot to look for presents or for those little touches around the home.

Lovely little shop with super-friendly service. Nice selection of gifts and homewares with a…read morevintage-recycled theme and some locally-made clothes with that definite 'inner northern' vibe.

The Pirate Chest in Mountain Gate Shopping Centre is a treasure trove of all sorts of beautiful…read moregifts for others or yourself. It stocks a large variety of items including handbags, French provincial furniture, jewellery, moneyboxes and candles. My favourite item was a really happy looking pig moneybox. It had a gorgeous funky patterned design painted on it and was only $29.99. A bargain. Owned and run by a husband and wife team, the atmosphere in the shop is really friendly and the service is fabulous. No matter how trivial your query they will take time to make sure that you leave with absolutely everything you need, without being pushy. Some of the bags and accessories in here were a little tacky for my taste but they were cheap and would do well for Kris Kringle presents. The store was laid out well and was very clean. I enjoyed my shopping experience in there as it had a lot of items I hadn't seen anywhere else. Originality is always a good thing. For a slightly nicer gift, the Pirate Chest offers an abundance of options - check them out if your passing by.

Smits and Bits are hidden down a little alleyway on Mount Dandenong Tourist Road in Sassafras…read more There are plenty of signs to showcase its presence however so you shouldn't worry about missing it. It is true to its name with plenty of random bits and pieces to choose from. There are garden accessories from the smallest little gnomes to large concrete benches with prices that vary on a similar scale. Music lovers will enjoy their music sheds, which are filled to the brim with old records, CDs, cassettes and posters. There is another shed next to that filled with old books. As a big reading fan I raced over there but found nothing of interest. The prices are awesome for items in these sheds with most items only being around a couple of dollars. As well as the records, books and garden accessories they also have a huge historic dollhouse on display. Even if this is the only thing you come to see your visit will be well worth it. Belonging to Dame Zara Bates the Dollhouse is housed in a little wooden building. If you're afraid of spiders I wouldn't advise looking above head height as there are cobwebs galore near the ceiling...and it has a very low roof. There are also a variety of ceramic plates, clocks and little trinkets for sale in the main store. This is the kind of place where you have to look to see what you want rather than follow the sign leading you to it - so make sure you have an hour or so to visit this one. Smits and Bits are open from 11-4.30 Monday to Friday and 10-5 on weekends.

Tucked away behind the shopfronts in the main street of Sassafras lies Smits And Bits. Walk down…read morethe little alley and you'll find an antique store, record shop and if on a weekend, tourists cooking marshmallows on the huge open fire in the cauldron. As a keen record collector, the records are a bit hit and miss, however if you're like me and don't mind flicking through for a while, you're sure to grab something you'll enjoy. Most of the antiques are more gift oriented than actual antique pieces, and while you may find some of the same fare in the city, the prices here are surprisingly fair for such a touristy market. The common area in the outdoor courtyard has a large cauldron filled with an open fire in winter, and you can toast your self a marshmallow over the flames if the shopping isn't doing it for you.

CRAZY ASIAN KNICK KNACKERY - Slightly better than a two dollar shop, this place is beyond…read moreclassification. They stock mattresses. Cheap mattresses for the poor Uni student who find themselves living in some weird share house. Carpets. Doggy beds. Kitty scratching posts. Duct tape. Measuring tape. Jewellery. Sunglasses. Reeds for the vase in the hallway. Don't have that vase? They have many vases! Wigs for halloween. Vampire teeth. Paint. Facepaint. Canvas boards of varying sizes. Thongs. Stockings. Novelty lighters.The list goes on and on and on. When you walk in, you want to walk straight out but something compels you to stay - that little voice in your head that says maybe, just maybe you could find something in this treasure trove of awesome junk.

There are so many of these knick-knacky type shops on Sydney Rd it's a bit of a joke. Along with…read morebridal shops, jewellery stores and textile places - it seems like an Italian woman's dream street. Brunswick Clearance Centre is probably the biggest knick-knack store in the area. It has everything from party supplies, picture frames, art, furniture, manchester, homewares etc. etc. As with all of these stores the gear is cheap (ish) and they are a bit of a mish mash of things that are hard to find anywhere else. I recently bought a cork board, candle, ribbon and plastic champagne flutes. Good for a look if you're stuck trying to find something specific.

As far as gift/homewares shops go, I think Urban Attitude is the most fun. Filled with so much…read morestuff that absolutely no one will ever 'need', but is fun to have. Makes it a great place to go gift hunting if you're unsure what to get someone. I love their collection of designer cards. They're a bit out there and random, which is how I like my gift cards. No soppy Hallmark greetings for me, thanks. The stuff you can find here is genuinely fun/random/hipster, not like the cheap knock off/trying-too-hard stuff you find at other larger stores *cough* Typo *cough* The staff are lovely to boot and will help you track down something quirky be it poster art, wallets, toys, kitchen ware or maybe a T-Rex lamp.

I love love love this store! Full of super cute, fun and quirky things, Urban Attitude is great for…read morebuying gifts, finding unique things to fill your home with, and taking everyday things and turning them into something special. Take for example the best knife block holder I' ve ever seen...Its a silhouette of a person ( I like the one in fire engine red) with six or seven slits throughout the body, so when you put your knives in they look like they are going through the body..... okay, I just re-read that, and now I sound like a crazy person who thinks stabbing people is awesome. AWKWARD......But seriously its really cool. When you walk into the St Kilda store, you feel off balance, until you realise that it is the shelves and design of the store that is off balance, not yourself. I think it really suits the concept they are going for. Definitely go check it out.