Like a big op shop that only sells furniture, Green's New and Used Furniture is a junkyard of old…read moretables, couches, entertainment units and desks. The taste and style of the furniture is pretty varied, but there's nothing too upmarket in stock most of the time. The prices are similar to that of op shops so it's more affordable option for students and anyone else with financial concerns, and everything seems to be in fairly good condition. It also sells an odd assortment of second hand books at the front of the store and the odd DVD. Green's offers same day delivery, lay-by and trade-ins, and the guy running the store is really friendly and approachable. A good one to keep in mind for anyone whose furniture is likely to keel over anytime soon and isn't at the settled down and decorating the house forever more stage of life.

Holdsworth Bros Jewellers in Knox City shopping centre seriously annoys me. The whole shop is super…read morepretentious and la-di-dah with polished wood and gold trimmings on just about everything. The glass is so shiny you can even use it as a mirror - be prepared for an annoyed glance for staff members if you so much as breathe on the glass however. The staff (and the pristine cleanliness and obvious wealth) are what deters me from this shop. I have never actually set more than three footsteps down inside due to pure intimidation. The day I did take those few steps I was met with a staff member dolled up to the nines behind the counter. She slowly raised her head, looked me up and down just as slowly and then looked away. The only other person in the shop was a customer who was similarly dressed to the staff member and was being shown a variety of wedding bands by a male staff member. Immediately my jeans and a t-shirt felt out of place and I backtracked hastily out. It shouldn't matter whether or not you can afford the items in a shop, you should never be made to feel so uncomfortable by staff that you actually leave before looking at anything. I have never wanted to go back since. The prices are exorbitant and it is clear they are trying to attract wealthy or upper society customers. There is nothing bad about the shop itself, I just wouldn't recommend it to the average shopper.

I visited the store on a recent trip to Melbourne...the place was immaculate! The jewellery was…read morealso stunning and there was a great selection to choose from. I was on a meter but had a quick chat with Tim who was really friendly and definitely knew his trade inside out and answered all my questions. I'll be heading back for certain!

Play would be really awesome, if it were still 1997. As it is, it's just a bit weird. A secondhand…read moreCD and DVD store? Who sells their CDs and DVDs? They're so cheap to buy these days. Besides, you can probably import them from somewhere or cut out the middleman and just browse on eBay. But I had a look anyway, and did my due dilligence, and it pretty much fulfilled my expectations. There's some straight-to-video style DVDs, but nothing incredibly tacky. There's a small range of CDs, but enough that you might pick up something you like. It's cheap enough and the staff are nice (well, they're uninterested and apathetic. What I like in my servicefolk.)

Definitely the place for impulse buyers! A great range of DVDs and BluRays, particularly stuff not…read moreavailable through the boring retail world of JB, etc. The staff are knowledgeable, and just happen to be interested in the same type of movies as me, so that makes it a bit easier. I live outside Melbourne, so always try to visit when I'm there.

I can whole heartedly recommend Thomas & Co. to anyone looking for something a little more unique…read morethan is ordinarily found in homewares stores in Australia. Beyond the vast (and eclectic) range of goods, the service from all staff is exceptional. They are truly willing to go well beyond expectations to make absolutely certain you are happy with your purchase. Having purchased a custom made Salon couch from these folks (that ended up not fitting in the house - long story, but the store is looking after the issue perfectly), I can honestly not sing their praises highly enough. I've read a few reviews from unhappy customers and simply can't understand how their situations arose - you'd really have to try to have a negative experience here.

Thomas Gannan is one of those great shops that just seems to attract people. From its clever window…read moredisplays and quirky products, it certainly seems to have a lot going on. And this is very true. The busy store carries a wide range of homeware - from dazzling lighting, jazzy cushions, trendy table matter, witty décor pieces and functional kitchen ware. It also has a lovely range of children's toys, room accessories and gifts. But more importantly, Thomas Gannan carries a good mix of exclusive Jardan sofas and stunning Arthur G lounges. It also features a selection of environmentally sustainable Australian timber furniture, which can be custom made to suit your needs. I've bought quite a few presents from this store and have always been impressed by the service. It's not often that a sales person asks whether you would like a new piece but they do here!

What a gorgeous shop front. Those windows! And that's just the exterior…read more Inside, it's even better. The ground floor is full of mint condition mid-20th-century furniture. Beautiful pieces of furniture in such good nick can demand a high price and they do. Knowing I can't afford much on this floor, I usually cast a quick glance over the goods just as a treat to my eyes, and then head up the stairs to the vintage clothes. I'm always pleasantly surprised by the prices here. For this location on Smith Street, the stall holders could really ask for more for their vintage finds, but they don't, and I for one, am not only grateful, but feel vindicated for being annoyed at retailers for upping the price tag just because they can. This is how it should be done. Beautiful store filled with earthly delights for all the enjoy (and possess).

A treasure trove of antiques and vintage furniture, if you wanted the decor of Mad Men all you need…read moreto do is visit the Smith Street Bazaar. Beautiful tables, sleek chairs and intricate sideboards are scattered throughout the enormous store. There are also some fantastic lamps, tea sets and vases, that look as thought they belong in your grandparents houses in the 1950s and 1940s. Up towards the back is a modest clothing section that has a great range of shoes, bags and accessories too (90s backpacks are back in people!). They also have an impressive range of costume jewellery. It isn't surprising that the Smith Street Bazaar always has some devoted retro fans or artists crawling through and marveling at the woodwork or kitsch posters. Last week I was very tempted by a slick wooden chair that was low, sexy, and remarkably modern, but with a price of $700 (quite reasonable for a quality piece but a mere dream to a student), I unfortunately had to kiss that beautiful piece of work goodbye. One day when I have an income and a house, I'll buy some furniture from the Smith Street Bazaar. But until then, it's always a pleasure to just look.

Aura Living (previously Direct Interior Imports) is one of my mothers treasured shopping spots. She…read moreis very proud of her secret locations so count yourself lucky that she shared it with me and that I am now sharing it with you. The shop has recently expanded and now has two shops with the second one behind the first. Staff will direct you to the second one as it was only just getting set up when I last visited. The store is lovely with high quality furniture. They have some great home decor items like buddha statues that are also for sale and Mum has often come home with new additions to our home from there. The furniture here is super unique and every time I've been there is something different. They had a groovy low chairs and table set last time I was there and it was so low to the floor that you were almost on the floor but the chairs themselves were so comfy. There was also a modern chair that came with a poof that matched so it was almost a lounge. That was also quite tempting. The staff here are a mother and son team and they are really friendly and always up for a chat. Check them out next time you are after a bargain or something of high quality.

This op shop is a reverse TARDIS. That is, it looks a lot bigger on the outside than it turns out…read moreto be. It is, however, positively bustling, which is something I don't often get to say and I am glad that I can. Inside a shed that I assume once was a station, Ashburton Support Services sells off the usual op shop fare and pretty reasonable prices. I say pretty reasonable - I found a dress that I loved and it was $14, which is far more than I'm used to paying in these shops (and thus I stuck my nose up at it). There is a huge toy selection and book section, although the books are mostly airport/romance novels of the yawn variety. Maybe you like them. The reason the place is so small is because half of the building is dedicated to a "staff only" area. I can only assume that that is where furniture sales happen. Or support services or something.

This outlet is hard to miss with it's candy stripped banners out the front. They have a moderate…read morecollection of shoes on display both for men and women and although the prices have been discounted from their original selling price, I have not ever found the shoes to be particularly cheap but the quality does seem to be evident. The store itself is quite small, it is not messy but there doesn't seem to be any real order system to the way the items are displayed either. Overall not my kind of thing, better off shopping at a direct factory outlet like DFO on South Wharf if you are after discounted shoes.

Great footwear selection and amazing customer service! I have small-sized feet and it's always a…read morestruggle to find dress shoes of my size. The shop attendant Tracy went above and beyond to find a great pair of shoes for me. I could not be happier! They offer pretty good prices too!