Shopping in Newtown

Made 950 is a treasure trove of kitsch that stocks men’s and women’s tees and retro-inspired homewares, gifts and jewellery. If products like stuffed Rabbidears (a stuffed rabbit with antlers) don’t wow you, the fabulous gals who run the show certainly will. Kicking prices up a few notches, Tanya Stevanovic has set up Pretty Dog in a beautiful old terrace that does absolute justice to the pieces she stocks. Those Karen Walker, Romance Was Born, Dion Lee and Tristan Blair designs need to be taken for a whirl around the room, even if you can’t afford them all. With a staff of passionate volunteers, terrace-style gallery At the Vanishing Point showcases the absolute cutting edge in art, art about art, and art about art about art… It supports local and young artists, and is really big on extracurricular activities: forums, artist talks, music events and the occasional social bicycle ride.  

Local legend Bob Gould sadly passed away earlier this year, but his daughter Natalie has taken over management of his enormous collection of secondhand books at Gould’s Book Arcade. You’ll never find what you’re looking for, but you’ll discover a dozen gems during the search. iPads be damned: there’s still a place for the tactile pleasures of the world’s best paper magazines. Where but Mag Nation can you find the latest issue of Mollie Makes, Lucky Peach, Love, and (ahem) Time Out?

While cruising down King Street, chances are that the cute young thing you see dressed like an extra from Heathers bought her outfit from Cream on King. With a moderately priced, well-merchandised selection of clothes from the 1970s to the 1990s, Cream is a one-stop shop for all things retro, from flannel to floral to a big old pair of Docs. Further along the main drag, Red Threads marries op-shop goodwill with boutique merchandising, and raises Red Cross funds to boot. The store is a sensory delight, with walls adorned in WWII Red Cross posters and clothes and accessories arranged in racks and antique wardrobes.

It’s in the next suburb over from Newtown, but Pigeon Ground is the shop everyone wishes they’d thought to open. If you’re a newcomer to vintage, Pigeon Ground makes for a perfect introduction, with impeccably selected vintage gear, amazing records for the price that records should be, offbeat knick knacks and a generally happening vibe.