Wax Museum is one of the great little secrets that still dwells in Melbourne's increasingly…read morehomogenising lanes and niches. Actually, this little pocket of shops in the DeGraves Underpass is one of the best little nooks I can think of. Wax Museum specialise in beats and hip hop records but they also stock a whole bunch of indie stuff and reissues, as well as books and t-shirts and stuff. This is the kind of place that has to be embraced. They know their shit and want to share that knowledge with you. It's never too busy, so I do wonder about the shop's longevity sometimes; but they have subsisted there for a while, so maybe they do OK. Get in there! Support local independent music stores. If you don't, all we'll have is the chain joints blasting commercial shit into your brain while their music-hating staff push Kings Of Leon as the next big thing. Gag.

When I travel to a different continent I love to dive into their vinyl scene. This store had some…read moreclassic hip-hop and I love the logo. I ended up buying some turntable mats that are dope.. The staff was cool and urged that I come back. Unfortunately it continued to rain so I was unable to stop back by.. Next time!!

This place is so cool. The records here are the best. I bought 2 records from here brand new for…read morearound about 90 dollars but they were new ones so they were bound to be a little bit pricey. The service is so good. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely coming back here.

Hound Dog Records specializes in blues and roots, jazz, 50's and 60's rock vinyl and CD's…read more The shop itself looks like a persons record collection where all the signage is hand written and completely authentic. The guys in the shop were two old rocker-looking fellows who were yapping about albums and records they'd heard. It's nice to see people with a passion for something after a long time. Very cool that they specialize in certain genres where I was impressed at the prices as they weren't overly expensive. A great vibe for an old record store with loads of heart and charm. Worth a look in if you're into those genres at all. Probably worth a chat to the fellows as well as I reckon they'd know a thing or two.

Hidden off in a residential street away from the main centre of Oakleigh, this op-shop is a bit of…read morea hidden gem. They have one of the best CD sections I've ever come across in an op-shop. If 90's and early 2000's pop is your thing, you're bound to come out with some excellent finds. There's also often good stuff to be found in the book section, but it's a bit disorganised so it does take a bit of hunting, The biggest strength of this store is the furniture section. They tend to have quite a bit of reasonable quality furniture, especially various types of chairs.

In our quest to find un-pillaged op shops my friends and I travel to some random locations. In the…read moresouth eastern suburb of Oakleigh directly behind Chadstone (there's a small mall around there you may have heard of?) is a Vinnies worthy of note. In a quiet side street five minutes walk from the Oakleigh station this shop houses a large and decent selection of secondhand goods. The big surprise to this shop is its large furniture selection. Follow the bric a brac selection and a doorway opens to a small warehouse filled with decent furniture including couches, retro dressing tables, dining tables and select white goods. There is also an interesting selection of frames and vintage (ok just OLD) women's clothing.

Upon entering the store I immediately felt relaxed and at ease, Readings was my quite retreat from…read moreone of those unpredictable grey, gloomy raining Melbourne days. Not only does this bookstore offer a wide variety of books, but its almost a sanctuary and one of the most iconic book stores in Melbourne who gives back to the community. 10% of our profits go to the Readings Foundation, which support individuals and organisations that wish to further the development of literacy, community work and the arts. Readings flagship store is the Carlton store, however they have many locations including Malvern, Port Melbourne, Hawthorn and St Kilda. Readings organizes and holds many events during the years from book launches, signings and other events. Staffs are always friendly and willing to provide sound advice and lend an ear to chat.

Readings Carlton is my favourite book shop in Melbourne. Floor to ceiling, this place is packed…read morewith well-researched, beautiful books and accessories. It's a must-stop for any book lover while in town. It feels good, smells good and just is good. Anybody who reckons the future of the written word is shaky, or even destined for a digital medium, get down to Readings and you'll think again. What they do so well is offer up quality publications in a well ordered and well staffed environment. There are countless little nooks and crannys for readers to settle in a test drive a new work before purchase and the staff have a collective knowledge of books and trends that will blow your mind. Even better still, the Carlton Readings (there are a couple of others about town) also stock a great range of CDs and now vinyl. This place personifies the concept that 'it's not what you do but the way that you do it' and the results speak for themselves.

I'm always up for a second-hand bookshop, and this is certainly a decent one. Okay, it isn't huge,…read morebut like a lot of this places it does happen to have a pretty decent collection. However, the collection also tends to be pretty random so, like a lot of these places, the joy comes down to actually see what is on the shelf. I found some decent books, and as is typical, ended up walking out with more than I actually knew what to do with. It is tucked away off the main road, but still worth checking out if you happen to be down this way.

This guy is magic. I swear, every time I've gone into this place looking for anything in…read moreparticular, not only does he have it, but he knows the work, the author and is willing to chat about it. 'So what?' you say. Well, I don't know about anyone else but, usually when I enter a second hand book shop, the first thing I'm asked to do is remove my bag because I obviously look like a book theif, and then I'm often treated with a distant rudeness like I'm somehow interupting the ebb and flow of the vendor's day. Not so with Already Read. This bloke is cheery and engaging. He usually seems up for a bit of a chat and stocks great quality, sought after titles; not just best sellers and fuckin' Dan Brown. He keeps multiple copies of the greats and has a large cache out back if you can't find something in the well ordered shelves. Seriously, as far as second hand book shops go, this is the one.

Brunswick Bound is a particularly thoughtful bookshop. Not overly small and not large like the…read morechain stores, it caters to a variety of broad and specialty interests. There's a great range of locally designed cards, stationary and the odd bit of craft that make for great presents. A lot of the cards have some very cheeky local jokes on them, such as the cards with a photo of a zone 2 sign as part of the statement "I'd go to zone 2 for you" that were in stock about a year back. It also sells a small range of CDs and vinyl, as well as DVDs, journals and magazines. There's also a small gallery space upstairs that hosts bimonthly exhibits of local artists work. The staff are all avid book lovers and will happily talk you through your purchase or recommend something. It's also not too expensive, though obviously an independent bookstore rather than a discount outlet. Always worth a look in when gift shopping, or any other time really.

If you like reading, and I know you do because you're reading this review, then you must pop into…read morethis independent bookshop the next time you find yourself on Sydney Road. It's also a bit of an oasis of calm in here if Sydney Road is giving you aural overload. There's lots of great books, music, and knick-knacky gift type things to look at, so take your time about it. Grab a few books and find a spare spot on a sofa and just take a load off. If you've found the books you want but you're still not ready for pavement pounding, upstairs is a small, sun-flooded art gallery, and another space in which to meditate. Exhibitions here usually feature local artists. Brunswick Bound hosts the occasional author event too, so visit their beautiful website and get your name on their mailing list to keep in touch.

Hands-down the best Salvos store in Melbourne! And that isn't a pronouncement that comes lightly…read morefrom me. About 60% of the store is dedicated to furniture, and though I don't buy or know much about furniture, it all looks to be in good quality and beautifully attractive. Lots of wood and vintage glasswork and tapestry. Also lots of art deco era beauties, and ornately carved wood pieces. The book, record and magazine section is large, with lots of antique books and a large array of magazines, especially national geographies, which is great for teachers and other art-scounger enthusiasts. Though the clothing section is on the small side, there are always decent finds and most of the items are in pristine condition. My absolute favourite favourite bit, though, is the jewelry selection. Never before in an op-shop have I seen such good quality vintage pieces. Beautiful ornate necklaces, screw-on earrings (amazing!), delicate rings. The works. If you need a bonus, the staff are also gems. Last time I was there one of the women helped hold my hair back while I tried on necklaces. Talk about service!

The Abbotsford Salvation Army shop should be your first point of call when ever you're looking for…read morefurniture, because they've got a really big selection of decently priced stuff to choose from. They are also quite happy to negotiate costs, so make sure you try to bargain with them. They also sterilise mattresses, so you can be some very good quality beds there quite cheap. They have a decent selection of crockery and kitchenware, books, and a particularly good selection of records on offer. They're also selling a grand piano at the moment, so it's really got something for everybody. The clothing selection is nothing to write home about, so I definitely wouldn't make a trip there if you're only after clothes, but if you're interested in household stuff, check it out for sure!