Earlier this year I did something I am not super proud of... I moved back in with my parents. I…read moreneeded to move out of my current house and was struggling to find a new place of my own. So there I was, living/working/breathing Geelong. That's when I discovered 123 Antiques. When I finally got that fated call from the real estate agent, I immediately went here in an effort to stock my cool new house with cool, old furniture. 123 has incredible vintage furniture from the 60s, 70s right up until the 00s - think bright green vinyl sofas, sturdy metal trunks and a HEAP of wooden bar carts that will make you want to host a Mad Men-style party every weekend. But it's not just furniture, you'll also find jewellery, prints and artwork (I've got my eye on a couple of J.H. Lynch prints, keep your paws off 'em) and simply gorgeous glassware. Despite having a completely stocked house, I find myself venturing to 123 Antiques anytime I am in the area, just to see what's new.

What a find! I completely dropped my bundle when I stumbled upon Geoffrey Hatty Warehouse along…read morethis derelict section of Johnston Street. Of course I knew about Geoffrey Hatty Applied Arts in Prahran, but as someone who doesn't have a spare $20k to drop on a 1930's French armchair every few weeks, I don't go there often. The warehouse has 'other' 20th century pieces that have been hand picked and shipped from Europe (mostly France and Italy), but that have not been deemed worthy of the flashy Applied Arts showroom. I could not believe how incredible this stuff is - there's a massive pink velvet quilted bedhead, huge industrial brass ceiling lights, ultra-sleek modernist lounge suites and a sideboard that is big enough to hide over ten corpses in. Or, you know, a lot of crockery. The building itself is pretty cool too - it really looks like an old school warehouse, the type you'd want to convert into a home and fill with this furniture if you had a spare couple of mill. The warehouse is open by appointment, or on Saturdays from 10 til 4. Well worth a visit for lovers of antiques.

Went down to St. Kilda Bazar today and had the most lovely time. The shop isn't one hundred percent…read moreset up yet, but from the bits that we saw, we can't speak highly enough of it! The articles were all beautiful and well priced and the gentleman setting the store up was absolutely wonderful. He was so helpful and couldn't speak highly enough of the respective people involved in the business. His plans for the store sound absolutely incredible and we can't wait to see what happens with the store. It's a perfect mix of nostalgic pieces that remind you of a time where dishes, rent and all the other annoying things about being an adult didn't occupy your mind and unworldly articles of history that make you want to don a pair of bloomers and churn some butter. We can't wait to fill our little apartment with the quirky oddities and absolute gems that we know we will unearth here! I know where my paycheque will be going in the future!

From the owner: More than 20 vendors; offering art, antiques, handmade crafts, vintage wares, collectibles and all…read morekinds of unique treasures you won't find anywhere else.

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.

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!

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 came across this shop by accident. It really is world class. Even if you don't want to buy a…read morechandelier you can spend hours here looking at the lights and antiques. The people here really know what they are talking about. In fact they know it too well I walked out with two very serious lights