Of all the US chains that show up in Australia, Target was a surprise. I showed up here one day to…read morefind something that the US version would have but found it at Woolworths instead. This store has 2 levels and has street-side and mall-side entrances. It's a bit on the smaller side compared to my local Target.

Today after my work shift I came into the shop to buy my little sister a birthday present for her…read more18th birthday. I was in the beauty section looking at a range of different things when all of a sudden this women (an employee) comes up to me standing less than a metre away "organising" things on the shelf, mind you I am pregnant and have just finished work, so I say to her "if you think I'm stealing I'm just trying to buy my sister her birthday present," she then continues to start accusing me of putting things in my bag so I show her my back which clearly has nothing accept my wallet inside. The whole time I'm browsing in the store she is following me, she stood in my way so I couldn't go into isles aswell as continuing to call me names. I get to the cash register to check out and the whole time she continues to accuse me of stealing, telling me I'm poor and I'm going to have no future, she says that I am nothing. Another women working near the checkouts politely asks if I've stolen anything and I say no, the other women keeps yelling calling me all sorts of names, I start to tear up and I continue paying and show her my receipt. Her name is Nicole. I am never coming back to this store again!!

In the middle of ongoing renovations, the Cat & Fiddle is still popping out shiny new stores left,…read moreright and centre. With two levels of shopping, the arcade manages to encompass a good block of the CBD, linking Collins St, Murray St, Liverpool St and the Elizabeth mall through its belly. A number of the Cat & Fiddle shops will allow you to walk through from a shopfront on any of these streets to the arcade itself--being a newcomer to Hobart, more than once I've casually sauntered through an unassuming store to find myself in the middle with the fiddle. My favourite of the shiny new stores in the arcade is Tasmania's first T2 shop, on the corner of the shiniest and newest end of the arcade at Collins St. Tasmania's only JB Hi-Fi is downstairs (with another entry from Collins St, a few shopfronts down from T2). There's a huge Priceline (I think this is also accessible from Elizabeth Mall) and a Target (definitely has a second shopfront on Elizabeth Mall), jewellers and shoe shops and clothing and more. The cat & fiddle (which came first, the arcade's name or these guys...?) still remain on the wall, of course, so keep an eye out for them.

Just another shopping mall with the same old shops and people - if you need a supermarket then…read morevoila.

It's a great place with a wide variety of shops and it even has an arcade with stacker and lots of…read moreclaw machines shops like EB and zing are conveniently next to each other with great service.

Forty Winks was the first shop I went to when I moved to Hobart. Why? Because I needed a mattress…read more I needed a mattress immediately, or my first night in my new house would be spent on the ground. URGENT: MATTRESS REQUIRED. Not only did the lovely lady at Forty Winks fulfil my mattress requirement, but she also got old mate to deliver it to my house that day. I slept easy that night thanks to her. A couple of months down the track, I stopped in (for the first time since that first day) to check out Forty Winks' linen sale. I picked up some absolute bargains (they sell their ex-display bedcovers for a steal) but not only that, the lady who'd been of such assistance to me on my first day in Hobart not only remembered my face, but asked how I was settling in. I dropped in a couple of weeks ago, my third visit, and I was greeted like a regular. Excellent service, great prices, central location.

I was drawn to Sfumato by their Facebook use. Stores having a decent presence on the internet…read moreplease me, like they're a part of my secret social media club. They also happened to post a photo of a model with hair the colour I wanted, so I made an appointment for a tidy-up to take them for a test drive before I committed. Jacob was a doll, and very talented with styling. He wasn't afraid to give me the short fringe I asked for (I am exhausted by hairdressers who refuse to do what I want (apologies for my privileged tantrum)) and was super easy to chat with, which is good, because awkward conversations are one of my most dreaded things about visits. I was stoked with my cut, so booked in for a few weeks later for the crazy colour I wanted. Had Jacob managed to achieve my dream hair, this would probably be a five star rating. He didn't quite hit the nail on the head (to be fair, it was a kind of quirky colour) but I hung out at Sfumato for FIVE HOURS that day while we got as close as we possibly could. That deserves merit (on both our parts, really) and I'm more than happy to give them another chance. Sooner rather than later, to be honest, as these mousy-brown roots are starting to become prominent...

Friendly staff, good coffee, long head massages in the massage chairs, and hairdressers that take…read morethe time to work out what you want, or what would suit you best if you don't have an opinion. You pay for the pampering, but you're pretty much guaranteed a good cut.

When you absolutely, positively have to visit a Kmart AND a Woolies, then get a disappointing meal…read moreall in one stop, make your way to Eastlands! The Car park is always crammed to the hilt and poor parking abounds at the best of times. There's precisely zero available spots in the area facing the bus mall, with cars of all sizes in a predatory orbit awaiting the first spot to open up. Inside, it's two stories with the usual clothing shops, phone/repair shops, nail salons, and massage spaces, and the aforementioned Kmart/Big W on one end and Coles AND Woolies at the other end. It's long overdue for a facelift.

Hobart's obnoxious multi-storey (two) shopping centre, featuring Big W AND Kmart, Coles AND…read moreWoolies. Oh, stop. No, go on. Sure, it's also full of a whole bunch of specialty shops (lots of clothes) and overpriced cafes, just like every other shopping centre? Yes. Plenty of parking available (and a great affordable carwash in the multi-level carpark around the back), this is a bright and mostly clean complex but is absolutely riddled with Hobogans. Enter at your own peril, and leave as soon as you're done. No dawdling.

One of my two favourite stores at Salamanca, the Maker is full of really beautiful handcrafted…read moreitems. From terrarium kits to winter woollies to stunning dresses to pieces of jewellery, here you will find something unique and worthy of treasuring forever, either as a momento of your holiday in Tasmania (if you're visiting) or a reinforcement of why Tasmania is the best state in Australia (if this is home).

What can you say about Centro New Town? It's a shopping centre! It has shops!…read more There is little selection -- at the time of writing you will find the following facilities: - Coles; - A meat place (not so good); - Baker's delight; - A little cafe (untested); - My State bank; - Newsagency/Post Office (very good and great opening hours); - Wendy's (Service is lacklustre); - A hair place (dunno); - A 24 hour kmart; - A couple of ATMs; and - A discount chemist. There's also a Kmart Tyre and Auto around the back, if that kind of thing floats your boat. So, a stock standard shopping centre, complete with Christmas decorations displayed wayyy too early. However, plenty of parking, and enough variety to get through the day to day bullshit of life.