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.

This is a bright, colourful, happy feeling shop, with products to match. The most noticeable…read morefeature is the wall of Crocs footwear, with every kind of Croc I've ever seen and more! A great colour array. The other main types of item here are homewares and fairy clothing for little girls. There are two separate corners for dress-ups, with wings and toys and tutus. A pity they don't come in larger sizes. The homewares are all bright and cheery, mostly things like pillows and ornaments and candles. This would be a great place for gift shopping. The back room is the most fun - the green umbrella, I love it! I can't help noticing the confusion about its address - it's listed online as both 2/131 and 135 Semaphore Road, and doesn't have an official website to confirm this. Google Maps says 2/131 Semaphore Road, so I'll go with that. Either way, it's between the bookstore and Furniture By the Sea. Worth a look!

Crocs galor!...this has got to be the largest stockist of Crocs in the whole of South Australia. A…read morekaleidoscope of colours and sizes line the wall on the right hand side as you walk in, with slat walling the envy of any shop owner. Not only footware but homeware and gifts galor too for the entire family and friends network, they will be pleased if they receive a little something under their Xmas tree or birthday or just because. It's like a one stop shop for not only Xmas gift shopping but for any occasion as there is lots to choose from and you'll walk out with something. In the back section is a bright and colourful arrangement with a huge green umbrella - hardly bad luck for this shop though - and a variety of gift ideas and home decor. To the right is a bargain table with oddments at discounted prices. I highly recommend coming in for a browse and a purchase!

First and foremost, it is a great shop outside. Well decorated and neatly presented. The bad bit…read morewas I wanted to buy flowers for my sister, and I saw these pretty ones outside which were $15. I was excited because this is a great price for flowers in a jar. I went inside and said that it was $15 for the flowers, not with the jar but $20 for the jar! I haven't come back since.

There were so many candle smells in this place my heart started beating erratically. Nevertheless I…read moresoldiered on. The novelty Christmas items in this store blew my mind. How do they get bits of foam and model them so they look like snow? There was a giant ice cream made out of what looked like fairy floss: incredible. This store is absolutely packed with goods, so many that it's a little dizzying, but they have some really nice gifts, especially newborn baby items and things to decorate the nursery. Also a lot of wine buff items like groovy wine decanters. They had so many of those 'love,' 'eat' 'dream' signs around the place it was overkill. Ok ok, I'll eat, why are all of these signs yelling at me? If you need to buy someone a present this is the place for you. They have so much to look at here and it's good quality and not super expensive. Especially go here if you want to eat, dream, or love.

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.

This store was formerly known as Ikeguchi Japanese Store. They have all the same stuff, but just a…read moredifferent name and owners. I really love the new name and branding, it is super cute and matches the whole Japanese theme of the store. Well, not all of the stock is Japanese, but they also stock lots of cool art, jewellery, home décor and toys. This is one of my fav places to shop for gifts for my friends and family. You will find lots of quirky unique things in this store, like fake deer heads, cool mugs, quirky books and gift cards. I actually found some super cool Star Wars plates with Darth Vader with a top hat. That was a immediate purchase. You know those moments when you are shopping and you say "omg I must have!" Check out the jewellery in this store, you will find some really lovely modern styled elegant pieces. I found it very hard to choose from so many cute options. Some pieces full silver, others have beads and acrylic shapes. The staff in this store are super friendly and so happy to help you out if you are looking for something in particular. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they have a loyalty program which gives you discounts and invites to a special VIP party a couple of times a year. How cool is that, especially for such a little store!

For what this place is, it's awesome. Like Dave says, it's a place to buy Japanese trinkets and…read moreknick knacks, cool little wooden dolls, origami stuff, purses, all sorts of stuff. I find it fascinating, there's so much stuff here that you just won't find anywhere else, short of buying it on the internet, and even then you'll probably need a good command of the Japanese language. I've bought a couple of little presents here for some friends who had just gotten back from a trip to Japan, and some of the origami things for my primary school class. Really cool little place.

Semaphore Variety Store is a great little store that focuses on hardware, gifts and small home…read moredecorations, and kids' toys and games. It is family owned and run, and has been operating on this stretch for many years. It's not one of the largest or most extensive variety shops around, but it's useful for bits and pieces. There's not very much stationary here, which is a downside for me, but I think it's great in terms of toys and activities for children.

I'm a sucker for a bit of aesthetics and this store must be owned by an interior decorator. Modern…read moreand with enthusiastic flare for the creative Terrace has a awesome range of flooring and other bibs and bobs. Offering wool, rugs and flooring solutions they will custom service a design for you. As I need a rug this is what I will get. So many here though having a bit of trouble choosing.

From the owner: At Terrace we aim to involve the client in the process of choosing and customising their flooring &…read morefurniture selections. We strongly believe in the products we represent and realise considered design concepts take time. Our ranges include Armadillo rugs and Ethnicraft furniture, along with a wide variety of flooring brands and options to suit your needs.