What factory? The Reject Shop factory?…read more The name of this shop is seriously misleading - it's a cheap discount/variety store, and is in no way related to images of getting great brands at bargain prices. It's one of the few such shops I've come across that sells a range of clothing. But that doesn't really recommend it, because it's very cheap and not nice clothing. The scarves, in particular, are horrible, brightly coloured, spotty creations. About the only clothing I would buy here is the Australia Day swimwear, just for a joke. Otherwise, it's a discount store like any other, with a whole aisle of kids toys, and plenty of cheap kitchen wares. There's really nothing special, and their art and stationary section is very limited (that's mostly what I shop for in these places.)

Like shopping for brand name clothing at unbelievable prices? Then Semaphore Factory Outlet (SFO)…read moreis NOT the place you are looking for! SFO is more like a Cheap as Chips or Cunno's, stocking mainly random crap that will probably fall apart after one or two uses. I, strangely enough, don't mind shops like this. Some times you can find really dangerous toys, costume ideas and the odd evil looking decoration perfect for Halloween. This place, in particular, had quite the selection of bubble makers, both manual and mechanical, which entertained my puss cats for hours!

While I love looking through this shop, I'm always afraid I'll knock something over! It's so full…read moreof sparkly things sitting on shelves, hanging from the ceiling, hanging from holders, just everywhere! Gypsy Rose mostly sells stones, like the kind I collected as a kid. I'm not sure what I'd do with them now, but I understand they're supposed to have certain properties, which is kinda cool. I like the incense here, as it's not too strong. The sun catchers can be a little poxy, but there are also some very pretty ones. I think my favourite thing is the jewelry. I just love the styles of it - all the metal swirls and dragons and fairies etc. They appeal to my active imagination. There are also some very cool prints of mystical creatures, which I love to look at, though can't quite see on my own wall. There's one particular sign in this shop that makes me chuckle - see the photo.

Gypsy by name, gypsy by nature! The shop is loaded full of anything and everything a wanna be new…read moreage flower child desires. Short of providing a tattoo service it does do piercings (sorry but ouch!) plus crystals, jewellery, incense, candles, etc. Wall hangings, statues, sun catchers, lighting, little girls fairy costumes and halloween stuff is for sale too, plus women's batic style clothing and more, basically it's got a mix of things. There is a tarot reader available but you'll have to make a booking and on this note it is definitely wiccan orientated. For those of you into wicca you'll be able to find supplies for your alter and rituals.

I was surprised to see this Lula Blu, that looked like a clothing store, since I've only known it…read moreto be an accessories store (like the one at Harbour Town). So I strolled in to see what it's all about. Hmm. Odd. While there are some very nice dresses (for $90 or so) there is also some icky fashion here. Think, black and white stripe stretchy lycra genie pants. Yuck! It's seems an odd mix between fashion for younger women and fashion for older women who want to dress like younger women but in flattering clothing. Does that make any sense? If it doesn't, check out the store, and you might get it. There was nothing in here I really liked, or would spend that much money on, so sorry, my boat isn't floating here.

I loved this shop there seems to be something for everyone and the mix of ages and fashion just…read moreworks ,I love that they get in new stock every week and there VIP reward system for loyalty to the shop.Well done and a definite to check out

Sumadi is a bizarre shop. It takes a while to work out what it does! It calls itself a "Vintage,…read moreRecycled and New Boutique", which translates to a second hand women's clothing store that also does some new clothing and accessories. They buy their clothing directly from people who bring in their "too good to throw away" pieces or vintage treasures, then mark it up to make a profit. As such, it's basically an expensive op-shop, though with way better quality clothing, and a range of very quirky styles. It's much bigger inside than you'd first expect, as it goes back into another space, so there's a huge range of clothing in here. It also doesn't appear to be arranged in any kind of order, so you really have to hunt through everything. It's quite a bit of fun! And you could find absolutely anything hiding in the depths.

I absolutely love this place! I love the randomness but organisation of how the owner has set it…read moreout. Tops in the front, a huge counter with all kinds of jewellery, Heaps of gorgeous dresses, and plenty of accessories. Everyone is bound to find something in this veritable aladdins cave of amazing items.

These stores are one of the reasons that beach towns are so fantastic. You can shop here then wear…read moreyour loose, brightly coloured, super light cotton pants/dress/tent around the shops, looking like a true beach hippie. Okay, so they sell other, less hippie stuff, including some gorgeous summery dresses (though they're still pretty loose and floaty), along with long skirts and large summer shirts. There are quite a few dresses to appeal to younger women here, however I think the store mostly caters for older women. There is a very conservative few racks in the middle of the shop, covered in jeans and plain t-shirts. I think this is the staple product of the store, then the owner just has fun with the rest of it. It's a great store to look through, as it's filled with a whole range of contrasting stuff. And it's on the way to the ice cream shop next door.

The shop itself holds lovely clothes, the only downfall is the owner. She is a horrible person with…read moreno people skills and is very pushy. Won't leave you in peace to look around.

So French, So Chic and not so shabby. Fully stocked gift and homewares store, I'm always somewhat…read morebedazzled when I come in here, there is not a gap of air in between the items. It smells good too and judging by the selection of soaps, hand lotions, creams, air freshners, candles and the like there's no problem in getting rid of odours. A corner of the store contains childrens clothes and stuffed toys, elsewhere - throws, cushions, jewellery, crockery, framed prints, bunches of fake flowers but quality and so much more to mention. I have learnt to be more discerning in what I buy and if I 'really' need or want it, as it's so easy to take a part of the experience home and count the expense later. But, if you're down Semaphore way do pop in and have a look, as there are sales on a handful of items on occassions. All in all a beautiful shop.

Incredibly well-stocked store perfect for the feminine Francophile in your life…read more Shabby chic? Yeah, these words were practically invented by Le Room. It's an all-out extravaganza of ditsy prints, floral teacups, vanilla-scented candles, ornate photo frames and glassware Marie Antoinette would approve of (had she been middle class and living in Adelaide). While I'm definitely a lover of all things French, I feel the taste of this store is for the slightly older, more cashed up and old fashioned variety of lady. There are also lots of stuffed toys and kids clothes on offer, which are cute as buttons but also a little on the pricey side. There are some gorge pieces of slightly-battered but beautiful furniture in here too, as well a really good selection of soaps and lotions.

I had passed by this store many times over the years and it wasn't until today that I ventured in…read more I expected to find Olivia Newton John gunning around on some pink or gold roller skates.....she was mad hot hey?! Anywho.....no roller skating nymphos unfortunately, however there was some pretty funky stuff. I am not really one for new-age gear, spirituality and odd smelling burny things, but there is usually some funky art, furniture, pottery and even the odd hackey sack to hold my interest. Bingo....exactly what I found! There is all of that other zen garb also, but there is enough funky stuff to keep those with short attention spans, like myself going for a good 10 or 15 minutes! I particularly liked the selection of stupidly loud Hawaiian shirts....my girlfriend didn't let me buy one. Looks like I need to launch a Ninja Mission....Shhhhhhhh.

Xanadu is sooooo Semaphore…read more And I mean this in the most complimentary way possible. Every self-respecting beach bum should have a ready supply of essentials like incense, candles, hacky sacks, trippy artwork, hammocks, tie dye, cheesecloth robes, tarot cards, Buddha statues and gypsy fabrics. Xanadu is the place to get it all (and more). Despite being firmly geared towards the new-age hippy, it's actually a lovely shop for a browse - big and spacious, there are some great imported furniture pieces and accessories scattered about. There's a global, ethnic-inspired flavour to a lot of the products on offer as well: it's kind of like Bauhaus, only not at all design-conscious and a little bit daggy - but endearingly so. Something for the hippy in us all.

What a wonderful surprise this place is! Stacked to the rafters with all kinds of things, not just…read morefurniture of all styles and eras but plant seedlings, crockery, glassware, cds, dvds and more, it's a real treasure trove. Some of the aisles between furniture and other wares are quite narrow, so you may need to walk sideways down them, but you won't be disappointed. The prices are all quite reasonable too, and the service is great, very friendly and very efficient. There's another antique store beside Hoff's, and that too is just as interesting and varied, but I can't remember the name of it. If you're interested in variety and reasonably priced goods from days gone by, then you'll love Hoff's and most likely find at least one bargain.

Thought they say they sell both new and used books, I can't really tell in the store which ones are…read moreold and which ones are new... because they all look like they've been sitting there for a while. They have a decent range of books, but it's nowhere near the best. They don't have a very big Stephen King section, which always leaves me disappointed. They have a pretty good biography section and Australiana section if you're into that sort of thing - but I didn't really find anything that interested me in there. They also have a fair few 'classics' (that I've never heard of) which look very old school and pretty, and there's also a lot of children's books. Prices aren't too bad but they aren't as cheap as some used book stores.

I was as excited as Rachel when I spotted this odd little store. Collectible toys? I'm not sure…read morewhat that means, but I'll check it out! Now I wish I'd kept all my little Disney figurines, because the owner sells them here. Along with a whole lot of other figurines. BUT the coolest part is not the collectible toys that came out with movies when we were kids - it's the metal creations the owner/artist makes that grace the front half of the store. What are these things? I didn't know if I was meant to recognise them from an obscure sci-fi book or not. When I asked, he laughed and said "No, I don't know what they are until they're made. I start off with something then see what it becomes." Don't you just love artists? Each sculpture is made from bits and bobs of machinery, and end up looking like something from the original Star Wars set. Also, another highlight here are his comic strip paintings. He's been a sign writer for over 50 years, and jokes that he can now draw a straight line pretty well. It's amazing to think he drew these then painted them. They look like they've been printed in paint. A.Mazing.

I am pretty sure I have never been more excited than when I randomly came across this store. It's…read moreincredibly awesome. I was walking down Semaphore Road when suddenly I caught a huge "collectable toys!" sign in the corner of my eye - so of course I had to go check it out. When I walked into the shop I saw the large amount of awesome collectables they had available here, including comic strip canvas paintings that the owner had done himself. How do I know he did them? Because he was painting a batman one whilst I was walking around the store - very cool. So, it's an art gallery/collectable toys store with a heavy influence on science fiction memorabilia (including a Star Wars section and a Star Trek section). Now tell me this, where else are you going to find awesome robots and rockets which such character? I would like to know if there is another store like this one around. There's also a giant alien statue... I'm not sure what movie or whatever it's from, but it's awesome. It's about 2 and a half metres tall... and I want it, bad. There's also a few old school board games etc that you wouldn't find for sale anywhere else these days, which is pretty cool.