Firle Plaza is my closest shopping plaza and after living in a few different areas of Adelaide, it…read moreis definitely one of the best plaza's with a great selection of shops. The Firle Plaza has all the main necessities, a Coles, Kmart, fruit and veg shop, and a newsagents with a post office inside it. There is also a great hairdresser, a bargain shop and the most important establishment of all, a Liquorland! With a bakery/coffee shop as well it has everything you need to do your shopping and then put your feet up for a little rest. The only bad thing I would say about it is the parking is SHOCKING. Having been in the car park A LOT I have witnessed so many minor crashes from people just not looking before they pull out and because of the small size of the aisles between cars. My tip is to park on the Glynburn Rd side and walk the extra 100m, it will totally be worth it to save your car from someone backing into it. And try and exit the car park onto Glynburn Rd too, you don't need to pull out into the main pathway of traffic where a lot of people pull out without even looking. My horn has had a working out since spending a lot of time in that car park.

Firle Plaza is one of the places where I spend most of my time if I'm not at home or at uni. Why?…read moreWell, probably not because it is 'the' hotspot to hang out in the Eastern suburbs but because it's close to where I live and really has all the shops you would have to frequent for your weekly household needs. There's one massive Cole's that seems to be open all the time (it closes at 9pm during the week and reopens at 12am, for all those of you who work late or just fancy late night grocery shopping). Liquorland, K-mart, a bakery, Commonwealth bank and a newsagents have also found their homes at Firle. There is heaps of parking and it is easily accessible, with 3 entrances, from Glynburn Road. It is also walking distance to Oporto and Dominos (just opposite the road) and has a KFC, a Thai restaurant and a laundrette to its left-hand side. Next to Firle, on the right, is a hairdresser, a Priceline, a video rental store, Caffe Primo, Chicken Coop, a gym and an Indian grocery store. If it's not in Firle Plaza, it's right next to it. Amazing! Note that opening times vary according to each different shop but most are open till 9.

Lula Blu has lasted for several years next to its sister store 'Lula Tu' on that every changing…read morestrip of shops on Glen Osmond road. They were previously all factory outlet stores but have morphed into a perculiar mix of dubious fashion and useful but inconsistently themed retailers. Lula Blu is a little gem in the rough on this busy road linking the city and the South Eastern Freeway. Perfect for even the most discerning of Bowerbirds it specialises in handbags, jewellery and a few selected items of clothing. The immense selection of affordable, interesting and unique jewellery is what interests me most. The wonderful badges and quirky purses make perfect gifts or little indulgences for your own collection. The bags are for the most part very pretty and inexpensive but I have an aversion to non-leather accessories of this type, so sadly they are not for me. The clothes are also VERY affordable and appealing for women around the 20 to 50 mark. This collection is extended on next door in Lula Tu with the welcome addition of shoes! Be sure to check out these two little gems if you're in the area.

As a local business, it's hard to compete with international conglomerates such as Woolworths and…read moreColes. However, I think it's the exceptional service that keeps businesses like Romeo's Foodland afloat. As Foodland is franchised, products and prices vary between stores. The Erindale location does have a large variety of products, but has less to offer than some of the larger Foodland supermarkets around Adelaide. For example, the selection of fruit and vegetables are somewhat limited and sometimes no longer fresh. However, their prices are usually reasonably low and sometimes you can grab some great offers. Last week I picked up some bananas at only $.189 per kilo, which in my experience, is almost unheard of. The customer service is the selling point of this supermarket though. Whilst they don't have the largest range of goods, nor are they always able to compete with larger chains, it's the friendly staff that has me going back. Going through check-out is always a pleasure, and Foodland's employees always ask how their customers are and are willing to smile and chat. There's nothing worse than dealing with employees that are both unfriendly and don't enjoy their jobs, and feel the need to make it obvious to everyone around them. You'll never experience that sort of thing here. Also, for those that have trouble with multiple heavy bags, Foodland provides 'car service' and will have an employee help you to your car with your items. It's not too often you see that sort of service anymore!

What an amazing find, Vinnies Parkside, Glen Osmond SA, this is far from your usual OpShop. On…read moreentering your eyes will light up, looks like a modern apartment store, with helpful staff wanting to assist you. There is such an assortment to look at. From men's and ladies, designer clothing, big range of smart footwear, lots of fashion accessories, kitchen ware, China, glass wear, books and the range just goes on. Every thing is well displayed, in a very presentable fashion, many items are new, yet the prices are extremely affordable. If you have never been to this Op Shop in my opinion it is well worth a visit.

This is a beautiful op shop. It's full of beautiful clothes, shoes, furniture, homewares, and joy…read more Prices are more than fair and the staff are lovely. Honestly, it feels like shopping in a boutique. I walked away the other day with two formal dresses (long and elegant) for under $40! I love being able to support great charity work and find great bargains. Will be one of my new regular op shops I think.

This shopping district is petite but I couldn't be happier I live soo close to it…read more For its size there actually is a wide variety of shops. For one two full sized supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths) within metres of each other. As well as- * A chemist/pharmacy. * A fruit and veg. * Two cafes- including a Michele's Patisserie. * A sushi bar. * Just Cuts. * Bendigo Bank. * A few clothes shops- including a Noni B and Millers. * A health foods shop. * A nail tech. * A masseuse. * A gift shop. * A bottle-o. (Hidden away down by Woolies) * An optometrist. * The Reject Shop. * An Indian restaurant. (Outside) * Jets gym. (Outside) And yet there's still a few vacant spaces for other things to eventually move in. I think a planned newsagent is popping up soon. There's also a RediATM inside, and I'm sure there's another somewhere but I just can't remember where and what. There is a lot of parking, including roof top, underground and to the east side of the building. Each have their individual access points to the inside. There's also a lift which takes you to each level, and travellators (not escalators) so also being very easy for disability access. Next door outside is also the Newton Post Office, a Chinese restaurant, another gym, and another discount variety store. So simply said this convenient corner in Newton/Rostrevor is one of the greatest establishments in the area for basically everything!! And also if you do find yourself spending too much time here at any one point, there are two public toilets in the building. (One by Coles and one near the travellators on the main level).

It's a nice little shopping centre. It's a bit messy and for anything but food shopping there isn't…read moremuch else.

This is not one of the biggest Salvos stores, but they do sure make up for the size with really…read morefriendly staff. I was welcomed immediately upon entering and told what colour tags were on special. (For those who do not know, Salvos have a daily special on different coloured tags on items). I made a quick stop at this Salvos store as I am in search for a ceramic butter dish. It is actually quite hard to find one. Apparently they get picked up pretty quick when donated. But, it seems that this store has more clothing than ceramics or homewares. There is nothing wrong with that though. I have a clothing addition. There are many racks of clothing to have a good rummage through. I saw a couple of nice jackets and woollen jumpers. As for the prices, some Salvos are a little more expensive than others. You will find that this store is one of the cheaper ones.

Salvos are often the best op-shops in terms of size and furniture. This one is no exception. It is…read morespacious yet packed with good quality clothing, tons of books and a good range of furniture. I was tempted by a blue futon for $100. You always need another futon, don't you? Given the area, the clothing is quite conservative, but there are lots of nice pieces. They have a lot of long skirts, and plenty of men's working wear. They're following the Salvo's trend of selling new jewelry, but there is rarely anything worthwhile. There is a nice range of new-looking cushions and throw rugs at the moment though. Definitely a shop worth checking in on regularly.

Glynde Plaza is yet another example of a bad shopping plaza in the Eastern suburbs. It definitely…read moremakes it into my top 5. First of all, the Woolworths is extremely tiny, dark and has a very bad selection. I keep going back on the odd occasion because it's close to where I live and everytime there are at least a few things from my shopping list that they don't have in stock. The bakery next door is often half-empty and their bread isn't that great. You get the usual soft sandwich bread, no great sourdough or anything similar. Apart from that, there's a florist, a Panini Brothers, a men's hairdresser and a shitty discount shop with random items. I'd recommend heading down the road to Firle Plaza instead. Heaps better.

I've dropped in here a few times, mostly for impulse purchases from Panini Brothers or to grab…read moreemergency supplies from the Woolies (yes, it's small and dingy, poorly laid out and only has half the range of other Woolworths - it's like the Woolies that time forgot unfortunately) after taking the kids to Macca's to satisy their cravings for plastic food. There's a chemist here that has quite a good range, but the other little 'speciality' stores don't grab my speciality button. The Panini Brothers IS one of the better ones around, mind you, and I've grabbed several pizza bargains in the late afternoons. Overall, definitely more of a 'convenience' centre, than a destination.

This discount store is located in the busy Firle Plaza but still remains one of the best I've been…read moretoo. The store itself is quite small but is jam packed with anything and everything you could ever need. Most impressive is their range of party accessories including plates and cutlery, streamers, napkins, balloons and plastic glassware. There is a huge variety of colours and lots of themed sets featuring popular cartoon characters which are perfect for children's parties. They also have a great selection of costumes and dress up accessories, although most appear to be in children's sizes. This would be, however, a great place to go if you have a dress up party and need something quick and cheap. The staff are lovely and I have overheard them on the phone going through the process of ordering an item in for a customer which shows dedicated customer service skills and is highly commendable.

There is a great range of stock here - I have two Bargain City's closer to home, but it's worth the…read moretrip here if you're looking for 'something' - it's a rabbit warren of assorted and quite mismatched paraphenalia , all quite good quality considering the very low pricing. The standout for me here is the 'junk' jewelery - having two young daughters it's an absolute given that we can drop in there for a celebratory treat for a good report card or performance at school, or for bribes to help get the chores done - there's always something new in the shiny sparkly trinkets and I prefer to spend on treats like that than a bagful of sugar and preservatives.