Opportunity knocks and you have to open the door, the door to the Brunswick Salvos store, that is…read more Take advantage of an op shop that gets loads of donations and hasn't inflated its prices to match the growing popularity of buying pre-loved goods. You can find some truly odd things in here, which I think is wonderful, and is therefore one of the reasons I often come here when I need to find strange and funny items like bright green, curly wigs or an 80s party dress - these are for playing dress ups with my niece and for wearing to fancy dress dos rather than my personal style, ok. I also like it for cheap costume jewellery. Strings and strings and beads and fake pearl and wooden necklaces hanging garishly on wire racks are a bargain (I like to buy them then pull them all apart and do my own little jewellery remix).

By the time you cross Albion St, most of your fashion hungry shoppers have dropped away, having had…read moretheir fill in the Brunswick Rd to Blyth St strip. It's at this point that stores tend to get a little more practical. Considerably less crowded than the more popular (and ginormous) Savers, the Brunswick Salvos is decent, mid-sized op-shop. Among its' many strengths is the broad selection of furniture it houses throughout the year, with prices ranging from a what could considered a clear steal to ridiculously overpriced for non-antique second-hand goods. Aside from that, it's a pretty standard op-shop, with ornaments, kitchenware, books, clothes, shoes and knick knacks all from a range of eras, tastes, styles and in variable conditions. They have a half off day every now and then, and it's always worth a look in when perusing the local area, but the location does mean that it can be a little picked over. It's just too damn convenient, really.

Mountain Gate Op Shop is home to the sweetest people around. Run by volunteers it is a place people…read moredrop by just to have a chat and say hello, let alone for the shopping. The tiny shop is packed full of donations with everything from old leather jackets, children's toys, accessories, shoes, bags and socks to 50 cent books. The prices here are fantastic and I've picked up fantastic pieces here for less than a dollar or two. Despite the very low prices they often have sales. If you can afford to, try to leave a donation each time you shop there, the people who run it will really appreciate it. The shop itself is a little bit smelly, as most donation-fuelled Op Shops tend to be. Otherwise it is clean enough. I would recommend washing anything you buy at home before wearing it - just to make it smell nice again, but the clothes on offer here are great. They are open Monday - Friday from 10-3 and on Weekends from 10-1. Pay them a visit today.

This shop is always worth a visit when dropping in at Mountain Gate. Run by volunteers, it's one of…read morethe cheapest charity stores around. Other opportunity shops out some ridiculous prices on their donated items. It's small and a little cluttered but that's the nature of op shops. It's run by lovely people too.

In terms of stock available, this Salvos store is probably best suited to men. The ladies section…read moreis small, mostly plus size and filled with things I'd only ever wear around the house. The mens section, however, is packed with suits, tshirts and jeans. Good stuff. Prices are typical Salvos prices, some cheap, some not, and each day a different colour tag (the clothes are tagged with different colours at random) gets a 50% discount. Very typical Salvos experience, really. Where this distinguishes itself (and thus deserves a mention) is the customer service. It's not often that one goes into an op shop and gets friendly, helpful and enthusiastic customer service. I don't mean this in disrespect to op shops, it's just that they're usually staffed by volunteers who have a million things to do and possibly not much experience doing them.

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.

This shop is so good it has the best stuff shoes clothing jewellery so cheap most it new it has…read moregreat volunteers willing to help you ..you must visit to pick a great bargain

Chapel St shop that knows the value of its clothes. They've clearly got marketers on board, because…read morethe signs try desperately to drag you in. Come in, we've got friendly staff! We've got $6 items! We've got good things! True, but it's mostly men's clothes. I found one thing that I liked, and it was a little black dress that was priced at $40. Bit pricey, but it's in the name of a good cause I guess. I don't know how I feel about this "making opshops cool" thing.

I'm usually a big fan of Salvo's stores, generally I find they have the greatest range of vintage…read morefashion, quirky accessories and homewares and terrific furnishings and antiques. This one however misses the mark completely. It's like they've forgotten they're a charity store, providing for the poor. And they get everything for FREE! My husband and I saw two old leather armchairs for sale there once. Granted they were in good condition and absolutely gorgeous, but for the grand price of $880 we felt we'd be best to go to Plush and get two brand new ones. A lot of the furnishings are overpriced this way; to the point where you could set up house cheaper with a Fantastic Furniture package then go here. And you won't find any vintage or designer bargains here, the clothing they have is tacky and again, overpriced.

I've made some great finds here. The people who work here are the perfect mix of friendly and…read morestrange. The prices are on the higher side of the op shop price range but still mighty affordable.

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.