Comments on: Which closed-down store in Melbourne do you miss?

By: LB

LB — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:57:50 +0000

the lost forest toy shops!!! My childhood right there.

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 05:46:25 +0000

Yep, Gaslight is sorely missed – a victim to technology – I remember in the early 90s if you had the nerve to walk in and strip all your clothes off and browse the shop nude you didn’t have to pay! They reserved special days for it obviously but I cannot see anything like that happening now in this more straight-jacketed era. I also miss Dangerfield (clothing) from around the same period (late 80s/early 90s) when it actually represented quality as opposed to the shocker it is now. Some of the long-departed old independent cinemas as well like the Longford (Toorak Road), the Carlton Moviehouse and the Lumiere (Lonsdale Street). Again victims of the rise in Multiplexes and I guess people just not going out to see films anymore.

By: David Redfearn

David Redfearn — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:34:32 +0000

Kerr’s Hardware in Station Street, Fairfield (now Station Lounge). Probably not very high profile except to us locals but it was a lovely friendly family business which had to close because of competition from mega hardware stores as well as not having family members to take over when Roger Kerr and his cousin retired .

I also miss the long gone and wonderfully shambolic Hudson Stores at the bottom end of Bourke Street. It was run by two quite eccentric brothers for many years and was the Alice’s Restaurant of hardware stores i.e. you could get anything you want (when you eventually found it in the chaos!). I guess the brothers had no successors either so it went the way of many such places.

By: Dee D

Dee D — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:01:26 +0000

Central Station Records on Chapel Street. I even bought one of their t-shirts. It was really cool! Good place to go and find good music. Those were the good old days!

By: OzPenguin

OzPenguin — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:03:34 +0000

- Bizarr Beads in Swanston St. – I went to a jewellery making class there, which got me started making jewellery;
- The Bead Factory in Smith St., Collingwood – had a great selection of beads at reasonable prices;
- Gaslight Records – wasn’t cheap but had a pretty unique selection;
- I can’t even remember the name (we’re going back >5 years here), but there used to be a little clothing store in Hawthorn Rd., Caulfield Nth, where the clothes were different to ones you’d find elsewhere, and the prices very reasonable. Closed when the rent became too high.

In general, I’m sad every time a music or book shop closes down.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:18:41 +0000

The Swagman. Great restaurant and stage show!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:03:29 +0000

Gaslight records on Bourke Street. If you couldn’t find the record there you were looking for then you weren’t looking hard enough.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:49:57 +0000

Miss Georges,,,they used to open the doors for you and you felt so snobby going in there even if you werent buying anything….agree with Emma and Urban Fresh Florist!!

By: Linda

Linda — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:17:35 +0000

There was a shop in Chinatown near the Chinese museum that sold the most wonderful paper. handmade, embossed, machine made, delicate watermarks. Beautiful stuff. Also sold books and calligraphy materials. It was there for years until the rents on that area made it too expensive to operate. Closed down about 18mths ago and the owners retired. Now a chemist :(

By: Anitra

Anitra — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:08:42 +0000

The “recorded music salon” right next to the hyatt at the top of collins street. It was full of antique stereo equipment for years and years. Never seemed to be open, and then suddenly (sadly) gone. to be replaced by a 7/11.