Divine Gifts on Olinda's Main Street is a pretty darn cool shop. It stocks lots of spiritual items…read moreand the music playing is quite mystical. It has a large selection of charms and stones including Amethyst, Moonstone, Amber, Carnelian, and Agate. Some of these come with a little metal loop attached so you can put them onto a necklace or chain. At only $15 they are an absolute steal. The store also had some hippie style clothing with loose pants and colourful tops and jackets. There were a few slogan t-shirts promoting peace and tranquility, which were simple looking but the message was clear. Kids will love to stop by this shop as there is an adult-sized couch set up with a little table complete with drawing pencils and paper. I noticed there were a few sections on the walls that had hand drawn pictures and I assume the owner hangs up the drawings that kids leave behind. Also on the walls were some awesome acrylic paintings and portraits. They were quite original and if you want one similar the owner has the artists card at the counter. Also on offer are Reiki healings in a small peaceful room at the back of the store. It costs $60 for half an hour and clients simply need to ring in advance to book. The shop is open on Mondays and Fridays from 10-4, Tuesdays to Thursdays from 11-4 and on the weekends 10-5.

Upon my travels in this area I was fortunate to discover a shop that charmed me with its warmth…read more When I first entered the owner immediately greeted me and had been very attentive. I was shown the most astounding gem stone and crystal collection, and various jewellery and clothing designed for us men. I found a ring and top I could not live without. I also love my organic products such as soaps and oils and found an abundance on offer that had also been scooped up in my purchases that day. All I can say is that if you visit Olinda you cant go past this divine gift.

Lock up your wallets! This place will tempt you with their beautiful bed linens, funky cushions,…read moreAesop products and nifty nic-nacs. I love browsing in here and it's high on my list of places to visit when I need a house warming gift, birthday present or a personal indulgence. My most recent purchase was a giant pillow that is filled with duck and goose feathers and makes my bedroom feel like a classy hotel room.

Nest Homewares stands apart from the other homewares stores on this South Melbourne strip. Selling…read moreunique screen printed linens, cushions and nursery items - you won't find many double ups here in other stores. The nursery/baby items are cute - hand drawn animals adorning sheet sets, bibs and hats. Perfect for gifts. I got a beanie for my baby niece that knots at the top so she could still wear it while her head grew. It's the kind of place that is too cute to let my Mum near unless I want her not-so-subtle hints about wanting grandchildren. Baby stuff aside, they have high quality manchester for adults, a limited clothing range and stock Aesop products. Not a cheap place to shop, but great for special items or highlight pieces.

Bizarre Bazaar! This cramped flea market is in the heart of…read morethe shopping district of Chapel Street in Melbourne. It's tucked into a strip shopping center, but this store goes on and on and on! The store is made up of various vendors' booths, each independently run, each with different themes or types of vintage and collectible items. The shops run from antique records, to vintage clothing to old posters. There's some strange stuff in here, but a lot of what you'd expect to find at a flea market. If you're getting dressed up for a costume party, or are just a hipster, this is a good place to go. When you enter, you are required to leave any bags at the door, and then allowed to wander the store. Many of the items weren't priced properly, leaving you to guess at the prices. Most of the booths were unmanned, so if you need to get a closer look at something behind glass, or inquire on the price, you're outta luck. One booth had a very overzealous merchant who kept trying to haggle with me over items that I had zero interest in. The bazaar is rather cramped, as you'd expect a bazaar to be. I felt nervous that I was going to break some priceless artifact the entire time!

Where can you have a retail experience and history lesson at the same time? You guessed it. Right…read morehere at Chapel Street Bazaar. This large second hand shop on Chapel Street is the site of many lost hours. Hours spent rummaging through countless area's filled with all manner of things. The space is segregated into over 70 market type stalls for you to get your forage on! You can expect retro furnishings, toys from your childhood, huge cult classic movie posters, funky retro fashions and vintage home ware and jewelery but you will mostly find what you don't expect. For a second hand goods Chapel Street Bazaar is over priced, but it needs to be or the stock would rush out the door and the huge space would be empty, and we can't have that. Don't worry though, its still good value! This place defines the term treasure trove. Get there and see what you can find!

The Junk Company is, well... basically what it says on the sign…read more Envisage two floors quite literally piled high with everything of bygone eras that has managed to evade the tip. And by everything, I do mean everything. Slightly bedraggled couches, medicine cabinets, ceramic oddities, architect drawing boards, cement mixers - no really, everything and anything is acceptable here, as long as it's not new. Whilst you're unlikely to walk out with a total bargain, The Junk Company isn't expensive either. It's just... reasonable.

If you're into old and quirky antiques then you'll love spending time at The Junk Company…read more Everything is organised in to like items. Want an art deco light shade, then head to the left hand side. Looking for some old vinyl for your music collection? Head halfway down the back on the right. What about an antique crinkle-cut chip slicer? You'll find about 12 sticking out of some old milk bottles on one of the bookshelves. Spend any amount of time in here and you will find things you never knew you wanted or even needed. It's a great spot to find a unique gift or something great for your home.

"The greatest collection of everything but nothing in particular." How aptly said. This is the…read moretagline from the Supply and Demand store website. Yet, as a home ware store, Supply and Demand does its jobs well enough and offers a huge range of crockery and cutlery, napkins, table matter, candle holders, vases, tea towels, bathroom gear, art and selected pieces of furniture. It also carries a great range of vintage inspired tin signs, plenty of glassware and bits and bobs to give your home a fun, quirky appeal. I absolutely love the French inspired vintage garb, new (old) milk crates, milk bottles and the elegant collection of affordable provincial style décor items. And even though the shop is quite cluttered (and it will take you some time to soak in the atmosphere), it is because of this that Supply and Demand is so much fun to shop in. Great for gifts and picking up home décor items that you don't necessarily need but just add a fun touch to your décor scheme.

If you are a devoted interiors person like I am want to be, Supply & Demand does fill in the gaps…read more A great go- to place for a wide variety of homewares at heavily discounted prices. Some are contemporary, some provincial, some industrial, some retro kitsch... You get the idea here. It does offer a lot, and they seem to be working on their layout of things, which these days seem more grouped according to style and also function. Yay visual merchandising! Makes for a more pleasant buying experience. True, a selection of the items sold do make you wonder about the longevity and overall quality, but like I said, an interior stylists needs the range to work with, within budget and most importantly looks great and looks the part that they are crafting in terms of achieving the style. Good stylists know that you do NOT put a room together with things from ONE single store alone even though you could and no one will stop you. But beware the raised eyebrow! Sometimes, things just need to look good from a distance. The staff mostly leave you alone until you approach the counter with your goods. Still, don't really expect the ultimate customer service here. They have an offshoot store on High Street, Armadale called Industria which focuses more on, you guessed it, industrial furniture and home wares.

Wonder Chamber! This is hands down, one of the weirdest…read morestores that I've ever been to. Need an authentic meteorite? They've got several. Cat skeletons? They've got plenty. They've got a remarkable collection of stuff that's more like going to a creepy old museum or a mad scientist's place. They've got medical and scientific apparatuses that date back over a century. Their collection of animal specimens is incredible! They've got stuffed creatures, sea creatures, plasticized chicken embryos- all kinds of weird, wild stuff. They've got one of the most diverse selections of insects for sale that I'd ever seen before. These items have come from across the globe to make one of the strangest collections of stuff for sale ever. The staff was nice and attentive, and was happy to just let me browse through the aisles of crazy curiosities. A guy came in with a bust of Winston Churchill, looking for a glass case to go around it. They were quick to help him. It really is like a museum that everything is for sale at.

Wunderkammer is my go to Christmas shop. Once that time comes around, you can definitely find what…read moreyou need for almost everyone on your list. Even if they're not into the more macabre stuff, there'll still be something there. It's like a more interesting version of the national geographic store, in a way.

I was walking down Smith Street when I discovered a lovely store I hadn't seen on my prior trips…read more Meet Oliverbirch- a boutique store where their buyer (Marissa-sp?) takes pride & care in selecting beautiful products that invites all of your senses- smell, touch, see etc. From linen shirts, dresses, and pants that are good for summer & travel for any future destination, to accessories for the home (think gorgeous decor and that little tiny bowl you just want to drop your earrings into), this place is a must-stop for a gift you have been seeking for the special persons in your life-including yourself! While I was there, I enjoyed perusing through all the leather bags (some are created & made in Australia or produced in India/China), in addition to nice linen/cloth totes that are practical but stylish for everyday chores & wear. I also loved all the different candles that are perfect for gifts- such as "Bestie" or "Soul Sister" etc. And this place is not just for the ladies. Men will find curated shaving goods and hand lotions that will fit on your bathroom counter but give it that extra pizazz before you start your workweek. The location is on Smith Street very close to the corner of Gertrude Street (about one block down) and on the opposite side of where Crumpler is located. There are glass windows surrounding the boutique which gives it a light and fresh atmosphere for those who need relief from the sporadic Melbourne weather & heat. I couldn't decide what I wanted to buy when I was there (I was eyeing a green leather Tasmanian designer tote or a soft sage green linen tote). It was so much fun to look at how everything was placed for visual acuity. But I hope to return after much contemplation of things I may want to buy. It's a beautiful space w/ lovely staff that will attend to your needs but not overly doting, which is a good combo.

One of the last "True" Op Shops that I have discovered is tucked away at the foot of the Dandenongs…read morein Upper Fern Tree Gully. While the suburb itself really doesn't have anything "Upper" to offer, this little gem still holds the old values of the good old-fashioned op shops. You wont find uppity staff, overpriced clothes or other tragedies here. Most of the clothing is under $10, and the range is pretty good. They have a large range of homewares aswell, and these are all affordable and, depending on the donations of course, in good nick. Even if you don't find anything worth picking up, PWP is a good example of what op shopping used to be like before they were all plundered and turned into "Recycled Boutiques".

Excellent op shop. I've never managed to leave without finding something special I have to get…read more Best prices, best shop.