Not only are you getting to wander through the beautifully restored Brisbane City Hall, but you're…read morealso seeing some of Brisbane's coolest handmade 'everythings'. From the colourful resin brooches, necklaces and rings from Each To Own to letter press cards and air plant holders - there's really something for everyone at these markets. It's an easy way to spend Saturday morning, and if you're not careful, an easy way to spend some of your weekend spending money! Depending on your frame of mind you can spend hours visiting each stall or opt for a quick 20mins doing a spin around the 3 rooms.

It makes sense to me that an op shop represents the area it's in. Clayfield has something of a…read morereputation for being a hoity-toity sort of area, and so doesn't it make perfect sense that it's Vinnies sells more boutique items than bargain? Clayfield Vinnies has even gone to the lengths to arrange it's shop in a similar vein to a boutique store. You're not going to find stuff piled upon stuff here. Everything is orderly, skirts with skirts, cups with cups, the red clothes flow into the pink and then the purple... It's quite well presented and easily navigable. If the shops' appearance didn't signal upmarket to you, then the formal dress section should have. So should the design tags on some of the clothes you're browsing through. It was such a satisfying visit. I was bent over with the weight of the clothes I was carrying to the dressing rooms. There is so much great stock in here! The best part is that it's reasonably priced. If it's a designer piece, you'll pay a little more than the standard prices, but not much more. They've got five rooms of wares to sell, so put aside a little bit of time to go in there. Men might be pleasantly surprised by what they'll find in the men's section/room. Clayfield Vinnies doesn't really have much to offer in the way of homewares, but there is a small shrine per se, paying homage to more classical op shops with their mountains of tupperware strewn across the shop. What an unexpected find this op shop was. Because I was in Clayfield, I assumed that I wasn't in prime op shopping territory. As I left the store holding a new assymetrical linen brown skirt ($4) in one hand and little black dress ($6) in the other, I realised I was wrong.

This Vinnies rocks!…read more After a tour of Northside op-shops, this little spot was a stand out. The store was really well laid-out and organised with care and thought. The staff clearly knew what they were doing and took pride in their work. We picked up a few items and found the prices fair, especially compared to some of the bigger op-shops we later visited. We were also surprised with the music selection playing; the usual 97.3FM was cast aside in favour of Triple J, which the older ladies didn't seem to mind. Perhaps this is just a sign of suave staff who know their market. I like to think they exclaimed once we'd left and switched it over to a classics station.

This little gallery is a real gem in New Farm, hard to spot…read morebut it is worth a definite visit. Suzanne O'Connell gallery deals with gorgeous indigenous artworks. The boss lady (and namesake) Suzanne is a respected art consultant and dealer who sources art works from all around aboriginal communities in Australia. The space is small but intimate. The cool white walls compliment and showcase the diverse, rich and vibrant pieces beautifully. With most of the pieces up for grabs this place is worth a definite visit to fill that blank wall in your house or as a unique gift.

I always feel a little twinge of excitement when I spot the new monthly edition of Map Magazine…read more This local rag is quintessentially Brisbane and within its pages it boasts secrets to great places to eat, shop and travel as well fantastic feature articles about inspiring people and places. Recently I had a friend visiting from Melbourne and there was one day she was here where I had to work and left her to do her own thing. I gave her a copy of the most recent Map Magazine and she used it as a guide to wander around Brisbane and check out some of the great boutiques, coffee shops and galleries. Each issue is themed (my favourite is the Eat issues, no surprises there!) so there's always something new to read. The magazine, although keeping the same structure, never feels the same as the previous edition. Map have also just launched a free iPhone app called A Local's Guide to Brisbane which has tips of eateries, coffee shops and general awesomeness surrounding this great city. So if you're a fan of print media and are in need of some inspiration, then there's no better rag than Map to reignite your love for Brisbane. Did I mention that it's free!? Happy dance!

I love this monthly local mag, a magazine for Brisbanes 'dreamers,' and the fact that its free…read moremakes it even better. I am always on the lookout for it at the many stores and cafes that copies are distributed to around the Brisbane community. Its full of inspiring stories and lots of unique food, clothes, furniture and knick-knacks that you can find around Brisbane.

Thank you Rick at Indooroopilly Pos Oz for all you great help with our Retail shop at Grubless…read moreCleaning Supplies Jijaws St Sumner We have been in many times now to get the ticket holders and shelf talkers and hooks and brackets we need for our store. Great service Rick Regards David and the Grubless team

This dishevelled looking building on Melbourne st offers up…read moresome great signs and supplies for your home or business. Posoz somehow stands for Point Of Sales Signs and Systems, and they deliver just that. From Liquid chalk, pricing guns, scrolling LED bars, Sale banners, light up glass signs, name badges, pens, whiteboards and blackboards to shop fittings, frames, stands, brochure holders, entry boxes, custom signs clips, card holders, swing tags, label guns, labels, bags and a whole lot more. These guys have you covered for any and every occasion. With friendly staff, ample parking and a good central location I recommend checking these guys out.

Go for your morning coffee and walk with the dog and find yourself falling down the rabbit hole of…read morea beautiful homewares store. Yep, just a regular Thursday. But no, seriously, this is the type of store I'd love to own when I'm done with this whole "career" business. Shop 51 is set in what feels like a secret pocket of Toowong. Just off Elizabeth St and down the neck of Bent Street you'll find this carefully curated (yes, I said curated and I meant it!) homewares, decor and ladies fashion (mostly Lazybones dresses which are stunning!). There's nothing haphazard about this locally owned and operated treasure chest. From Mrs Darcy's candles to trendy pineapple statuettes and a small kids section including some toy dinosaurs I've got my eye on, this boutique has gifts for you, gifts for friends and family and that little something to brighten your day (or your home's). Best of all? You'd think everything in the store would send you home broke but you'd be wrong. So very wrong. Everything that I spied was so reasonably priced which, is refreshing, and to be truthful, makes me excited to support such a fantastic local business. When you're tired out from all your shopping, pop next door to Nowhere Espresso to grab a coffee or tea. You'll need it for round two!

Mimco is ordinarily not my cup of Tea, but I was recently…read morewon over by their charming boutique on James St. Initially I stepped inside because I was drawn in by their beautiful and elaborate christmas window display. (Think an artfully arranged plethora of good looking handbags.) The decor is fresh and modern and the space really lets the products speak for themselves. The sales staff are super friendly and knowledgable, and I am suitably impressed with the range of sweet totes, bags and wallets. (The wilderness collection is my pick.) Next time you're in a bag rut or in need of impossibly cute shoes (Tinkerbell platforms I'm looking at you!) I recommend giving Mimco a go.

A tiny little nook of a shop but full of myriad surprises, (m)art is associated with the acclaimed…read moreArtisan Gallery in the Fortitude Valley. As you survey the intriguing range of jewellery, ceramics and other one-off pieces, you get the feeling that you've walked into a modern art museum (though on a small scale), the difference being that you can buy the artworks and take them home with you. The prices aren't cheap, as you'd expect for works of such quality. I've noticed some lovely bespoke ceramic cups and bowls going for $66 each, which I would happily buy for a wedding present or for my home. However, a series of commonplace objects encased in rectangular prism made of resin (the only I can remember was a dead bee) going for $220 each seemed a bit rich to me. Perhaps there's some special reason unbeknownst to a layperson such as myself for their seemingly exorbitant procetags.

(m)art design store has got to be one of my favourite shops in South Bank! This design space, come…read morejewellar, come book store, come gift shop is a mixture of different artist's work and boasts some gorgeous things. The design of the store itself is fantastic, and is one of the first things to catch the eye of people passing by. All of the shelves and display tops are made with upturned takeaway coffee cups. It adds a completely new dimension to your average shopping experience and really gives it the feel of an art gallery. Sure, the prices in (m)art aren't exactly cheap, but be careful to keep in mind that the work on display is primarily by local artists (and let's face it, us creative types are hard-pressed earning a crust). For this reason, I would say that the prices are fair. Next time you're in South Bank, make sure you head in to (m)art for a browse. It's the perfect place to buy a gift for someone who has everything, or even for a wedding present. Plus, it's always great to support local and emerging artists.