10 great shopping spots in Melbourne

If you’re new to Melbourne and you’re not sure where to go shopping, you’re in luck. Melbourne offers heaps of great shopping. Here are 10 great shopping spots in Melbourne.

Melbourne Central

Melbourne Central is a large shopping centre, office, and public transport hub in the city. It has cinema, a free book exchange, and art. There are two food courts, food stalls, cafes, and restaurants, including TGI Fridays and an English-style pub. There are almost 300 hundred stores. These include familiar names such A/X Armani Exchange, EB Games, Foot Locker, Fossil, Gap, Levi’s, and Sephora, as well as popular Aussie stores like Bonds, Country Road, Mecca Maxima, Peter Alexander, R.M. Wiliams, and Witchery.

Melbourne Central  is laid out across five city blocks and is connected to more shopping at Emporium Melbourne and to Myer and David Jones on Bourke Street.

For more information about Melbourne Central, visit their website here.

Emporium Melbourne

This is another massive shopping centre. It’s new and looks very clean and modern. It’s a mix of mid-level and upscale shopping, of global brands and Australian designers. There are over 200 stores. These include Adidas, Calvin Klein, Coach, Diesel, Kate Spade New York, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Muji, Nine West, and Victoria’s Secret. Some stores that are in Melbourne Central can also be found in Emporium Melbourne. There’s also a food court.

For more information about Emporium Melbourne, visit their website here.

Bourke Street Mall

Bourke Street Mall is a pedestrian and tram only strip in the city. It is a busy and lively area full of stores, cafes, and street performers. It’s the home of the flagship stores of two major luxury department stores, Myer and David Jones. You’ll also find stores like Adidas, The Body Shop, H&M, and Sportsgirl. Arcades run off the Bourke Street Mall. One that you shouldn’t miss is the Royal Arcade, a beautiful Victorian era arcade offering boutique shopping.

This is a popular tourist destination, but the shopping doesn’t end here. Stores, including Target, and restaurants can be found along all of Bourke Street.

For more information about Bourke Street Mall, visit their website here.

Collins Street

Enter the Royal Arcade on Bourke Street, wander through the historic Block Arcade, and emerge on Collins Street. Known for its grand Victorian architecture, prestigious boutiques, and high-end retailers, this is where you’ll find Cartier, Christian Louboutin, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Rolex, and Tiffany & Co.

For more information about Collins Street, visit their website here.

Queen Victoria Market

Queen Victoria Market is a huge open air market in the city offering a variety of fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry and seafood, gourmet and delicatessen foods. It also has a large non-food related market where you can find clothing, shoes, jewellery and handmade arts and crafts. It’s a major tourist destination and a great place to pick up souvenirs such as Australia T-shirts, key chains, and kangaroo furs. It’s not a high-end market, but there is a wide range of merchandise here. If you want a one-stop shopping experiencing, the Vic Market is the place to go.

For more information about the Queen Vic Market, visit their website here.

Melbourne Museum Shop

If you’re after souvenirs, but don’t want cheap keychains and t-shirts with Australian flag, the Melbourne Museum Shop is an excellent choice. You’ll pay premium, but the gift shop has a good selection of books, jewellery, toys, scarves, and more. The National Gallery of Victoria shops in Fed Square and St Kilda also have lots of wonderful books and other gifts.

For more information about the Melbourne Museum, visit their website here.

Lygon Street

Lygon Street is just north of the city, not far from the Melbourne Museum. Lygon Street is know for its food, not its shopping. This is Melbourne’s Little Italy, where you’ll find the city’s best Italian food. There’s nothing spectacular about the shopping here, but popular retail chains like Nine West, Sportsgirl, and Witchery can be found. If you need to go to those stores, why not to go Lygon Street and have a great meal as well? Also, if you’re a book-lover, check out Readings Carlton, the iconic flagship store of Australia’s renowned independent bookseller.

Brunswick Street

The city isn’t the only place where you can find great shopping. North of the city, lies Brunswick Street. For decades, Brunswick was a grungy working-class neighbourhood with of cheap shops. The low rent attracted immigrants, artists, and bohemians. Brunswick Street gentrified into an art and bohemian fashion district. Here you’ll find lots of art, unique handmade clothing, jewellery, and decor, as well as vintage goods. Brunswick Street is also home to Kleins perfumery, which carries over 80 brands of Australian and imported perfumes, lotions, and other little luxuries. There are also lots of cafes and bars.

Enjoy it while it lasts. Some say that with cashed-up entrepreneurs and fashionistas moving in, Brunswick Street’s bohemian heyday is over.

Chapel Street

Moving south of the city, you’ll find Chapel Street, a shopping, dining and entertainment precinct. Chapel Street has a wide range of shopping options ranging from exclusive upmarket fashion designers to a variety of second-hand shops. It includes the Jam Factory an iconic shopping, cinema, and entertainment complex; the Astor Theatre, a classic, single-screen revival movie theatre; and the Prahran Market, a fresh food market that’s been there for over 120 years.

I especially like the vintage institution, the Chapel Street Bazaar. It’s one enormous shop broken up into individual stalls by different purveyors. You’ll find furniture, clothing, jewellery, toys, housewares, and much more. If you’re into vintage, you can’t miss it.

For more information about Chapel Street, visit their website here.

Camberwell Sunday Market

Head east of the city and you’ll find Camberwell, one of Melbourne’s most affluent suburbs. A feature of Camberwell is the Burke Road shopping strip, but you’ll find many of the same stores already mentioned above. What’s really worth a visit here is the Camberwell Sunday Market. Every Sunday, the car park behind the Bourke Street shops is transformed into a vibrant market for lovers of trash and treasure. You’ll find vintage items, second-hand goods, and crafts. There are other trash and treasures (aka flea markets) around Melbourne, but the Camberwell Sunday Market is pretty upscale.

For more information about the Camberwell Sunday Market, visit their website here.