The Arkaba Shopping Centre is an unusual complex …read more It really caters for all your weekly shopping needs, however, it lacks something I can't put my finger on. It offers a full-size Woolworths, Australia Post, newsagent, cafe, chemist, hairdresser, butcher, fruit & vege, bakery, shoe repairer/key cutter, photo service and a Hearing Centre. It could be that given it's small size, there is no centre management. The new supermarket brings a greater number of customers to the centre, but it still feels under patronised. The centre really struggled while Woolworths spent six months in 2010 renovating the old Bilo/Coles site and extended into the Cheap as Chips store. It now has more parking and the interior has received a modern renovation. This is walking distance from me, so I'm here quite a bit. Unfortunately, I have heard Woolworths intentionally undercut the fresh fruit and veg, bucher chair and bakery. I wonder how long these places can service with this practice in place.

I'm with Rani here, the Arkaba is a little - soulless??? It's functional, it's never too busy or…read morecrowded, there's enough variety to the centre, but it just misses something. Let's look at that for a moment - I'm a Woolworths fan, although I did used to use it for the slightly different offering of the BiLo store that used to be there. The newsagency has a good range too, and I'm a sucker for a good newsagent - the cafe serves good, dependable food at a decent price and the bakery is downright cheap. I used to use the Post Office here 'cos it was never too busy, the butcher gave great service and I really liked the Chemist, too, quick and efficient, great range. I'd go out of my way to recommend the photo kiosk - preferred that in his own store but the kiosk works these days. Even the shoe guy is dependable, good at what he does and priced very fairly. There is plenty of parking, it's easy to get to, there's even some undercover parks - and the whole centre is air conditioned. OK, I *do* miss Cheap as Chips - that was my favourite store in the Cheap as Chips network and a definite drawcard for shopping at the centre, but it's not like I can't live without that... it just doesn't have something to draw me. In fact, that's it for me - it's lacking a draw card - I could go there and get anything I need - but there's lots of places I can get all that... what I don't get, at the Arkaba, is something I can't get anywhere else.

The Metro Shopping Centre has always struggled to attract patrons. I've never understood it; all…read morethose wonderful stores with a plenty of parking and in an affluent area with many non-working women. This place should be pumping! I'm no expert in shopping centre design, but most of the ones I shop at have cafes. I, for one, like to sip coffee while I'm browsing the shops. Alternatively, most women I know, meet a friend for a drink or a bite to eat and then browse the shops. The Metro doesn't have a cafe. Until recently, you had to go outside the centre and cross a road for a coffee and neither cups I had were that great. The Metro used to have a Caffe Primo, (not that I'd recommend them for coffee) but the entrance was on to Unley Road with nowhere nearby to park (other than out the official car park at the back). I think that's why it didn't last long. MaxMix, recently opened next to Witchery and this small, beautiful gift store, makes coffee and offers some yummy things to nibble on with your cuppa. There are a few tables outside the store with the entrance looking down the main aisle of the centre, so it's pretty easy to spot. The only times I've seen The Metro absolutely pumping was when Country Road invited their VIPs for the biannual sale. Portabellos at the northern end are an award-winning hair salon and have a fantastic trade of their own. Thank goodness they don't have to rely on foot traffic from Metro shoppers. I get my hair done here and quite happy wonder through the centre to the centre toilets with my hair covered in colour and foils. There's a high chance I won't run into a single person during the journey to the bathrooms. This oddly designed centre also has a NAB and a few other stores with entrances from the street. I can't tell you what they are as there are no car parks out the front of these store. I only drive past them to enter the rear parking. The other big drawcard here is the George Gross and Harry Who store. Most of the outlets are definitely targeted towards the 45+ age bracket, but if I need to pick up an outfit or some accessories and am in a mad rush, I know I can grab an easy park out the back and the sales assistant is bound to be as free as a bird to help me with a speedy purchase.

The Metro Shopping Centre is in the middle of a transition. A small shopping centre, with three…read morecurrent empty spaces the centre seems notably devoid of something. One of the more "high end" shopping centres, pricey brands like George Gross and Harry Who, Perri Cutten as well as Mimco call this place home while the more prestigious high street brands of Country Road, Laura Ashley and Witchery have stores here. There is also an Esprit and Sportsgirl here as well as beauty salons and hair dressers. The Metro has recently acquired a popular Sushi Train with queues seen out the door on Friday nights, so hopefully with a bit more patronage the Metro will be propped up again. Worth a swing by if you're a lady looking for clothes, parking isn't too difficult, and the centre itself is close to the Unley Shopping Centre and also has a NAB branch for those who like to do their banking away from Unley.

Castle Plaza is a little out-dated in comparison to Marion or the newly reno'd Big W & Woolworths…read moreon Cross Rd. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the next suburban shopping centre to get a make over! But it has a variety of shops, a Drake and a Coles Supermarket, a Target, a few mobile phone outlets, some clothes shops, jeweler, travel agent, chemist, cafe/eating places and a pub and a bottle-o on it's southern side. It's shopping centre I go to for a purpose (ie to shop in Target, upgrade my mobile phone contract), not to just to walk around and browse like Marion. But hey, you may be different... next time you're in the area check it out!

Retail Shopping…read more Food. Cafes. Supermarkets. Book shops. And rows and rows of shops. Perfect oasis for those living in the south, not as huge and busy as Marion Mall but it does have its community charm. Go here when the sale fever hits. Rockmans, Sussan, Strand Bags, Noni B and Target are a few rad examples. I've scooped fantastic bargains at Rockmans, so much so I signed up for their loyalty card. Perfecto in all senses!

Most days you'll find me hanging out in this "mall"…read more I add parentheses because it's not a) lit with fluorescent bulbs b) full of teenagers or c) packed with chain stores. In fact, it's a lovely open air thoroughfare lined with quaint / useful / delicious stuff. First there's the ALL DAY BREAKFAST at Uncle Albert's Cafe (I stand by the all caps excitement); then there's the local Coles, which I actually like and they know us there; then there's coffee and baked goods; gifts; magazines and books; and a travel agent if you want to book an impromptu trip to Paris while on a sugar high. Ahem. Yeah. Nice!

Norwood Mall is located just opposite Cibo's on the parade, right next to Dillon's. First of all,…read moreif you don't find a parking space on the side of the road, there's heaps at the back of Norwood Mall. There's a rather small Coles in here and a random mix of other shops like souvenir and gift shops, chocolate shops, a newsagents, a dry cleaner etc. My favourite place is the greengrocer right at the entrance (when you come to the Parade). They often have great deals and better prices than supermarkets, plus all their fruit and veggies are really fresh. If you continue walking you'll find a great fresh pasta shop on your left, followed by a nice little gift shop that sells things like candles, soaps, cards etc. Another tip is the newsagents in the middle of Norwood Mall; they usually have a large table outside with heaps of books that are hugely discounted. Worth having a look at!

I love the nostalgia of the amazing architecture, mixed with very modern shops and lively crowds…read more Spent a good amount of time at one of the craft and artisan made shops, then had some tea at an adorable cafe called Cielo. Even if you do not want to shop, this place is worth a quick walk through to appreciate its old world charm.

Now the Adelaide Arcade is a destination in its own right, did you know that? Not just as a…read moreshopping centre, but as a historic building of interest. I should know, one of my first jobs out of school was working at the Industrial First Aid Service which was upstairs at the Adelaide Arcade where I used to put aspirin into aspirin jars, stick on the labels and place them into First Aid Kits; and need I mention that was in the last century! Yes, well, the actual Arcade itself was built long before that - in fact around about one hundred and fourteen years before I was born in 1885. The history web page will tell you they threw the place up almost as fast as a catwalk model throws up her Christmas dinner, and it has been a destination for the refined shopper ever since. Adelaide has a great deal of old historic buildings but nothing quite like the Adelaide Arcade. It is a rather lovely spot and sort of similar to the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney, if you stretch your imagination just a touch. The difference is that the QVB in Sydney sat idle and filled with the poop of pigeons for decades, while the Adelaide Arcade has been operating since it opened. If you have time you should go up onto the rarely visited first floor and have a look in their little museum, it's a cute little spot with some significant information on show. Free of charge and fine for kids. In fact it's a special spot that you can take the kids and help them feel they've had something special that will cost you nothing. Kids as young as six or seven upwards will enjoy the display as long as you can drum up a little enthusiasm for it yourself. I've taken a couple of pictures of the FREE permanent exhibition for you to appreciate so you know what you are looking for, do check them out. Read up at the 'history' section of their website before you go so you can brag knowledge to the kids (or guests) before going - they'll think you're a star! http://www.adelaidearcade.com.au

Back on the Rack is a small second hand clothes stores at the intersection of Unley Road and Arthur…read moreStreet. It only has a small selection, but this can often mean you don't have to sort through rack after rack of rubbish to find the good stuff. Items are arrange in size order on the round racks and by style on the walls. They often have a small selection of shoes and accessories and the sales assistant is always friendly and helpful. It's not so much cool vintage clothes as stuff that a friend might have bought, worn once or twice and passed on. In other words, instead of paying $150 for a pair of pants in Rundle Mall, you might find them here (admittedly from last season) for $30. I've often wondered how it has stayed in business for so long, but there are always a few women browsing the racks whenever I've visited. The hardest thing is parking. There isn't any street parks because of the intersection and the nearest car parks are over the road at the Unley Shopping Centre or at the back of Target. You have to really want to go there to walk a few blocks and cross two sets of traffic lights.

A second hand clothing store which has been in this location for many years. It predominantely…read moredeals in upper class, good quality clothes and there is also a small shoe section towards the back of the shop. I did purchase a beautiful suede jacket for $50 which I thought was reasnable and really their prices are good considering the quality and compared to what other stores charge. If you're not into 'vintage' then this is for you. It's also located on busy Unley Road and there's no parking directly out the front and with good reason too, but drive around the corner to Oxford Street and you'll find a park either on the road or round the back od the shops is a carpark free of charge.

I agree with John, this place is alright. Honestly, I was expecting a very dodgy local shopping…read morecentre, complete with dirty floors and bad lighting, and what I got was the complete opposite of that. There's an awesome little deli in there, a few places to get fresh fruits and vegetables, the very nice looking cinema, a few cafes, and really, it's got everything you would probably need if it were the only shopping centre you used. Parking, for me at least, can be a bit of a pain to find, but it's not too bad. There's parking underneath, but plenty outside as well.

The Mitcham shopping centre is a social and shopping hub of the Mitcham area. Having undergone…read morerenovations a few years ago after a serious amount of fire damage, the centre has expanded from what was a bit of a dingy, tacked on mall to a vibrant retail community. The variety is what sticks out most in the Mitcham Square. It differs from other shopping centres around Adelaide like the Burnside Village in its family orientation and diversity. It's a cliché, there's probably something for everyone in the family in the centre, from kids and adult fashion, to toy and gadget stores, to the supermarket and cafes. Not to mention the impeccable Wallis Cinema upstairs. It has some history too. If you head along with the kids make sure to check out the big fiberglass whale outside in the courtyard. His name is squirt and he's a favourite of the locals. Everyone's had a play on Squirt.

I like my local Target at Unley. It's not as big as the Target stores at Castle Plaza or Marion…read moreshopping centre but the that is precisely what I like about it. You can still get your hands on their great bargains without having to fight your way through the crowds and enormous car parks. If this isn't a contradiction in terms, its almost Target at Unley has more of a community feel about it. I know that may sound strange because I'm talk about a large chain store but what I like about this place is the staff are all approachable and helpful. They appear to stock nearly everything they do in the larger stores - they just have less of it due to being in a smaller space. Lining up at the checkout and paying for your purchases is a much quicker process here and 9 times out of 10 you'll find you're only a stones throw from your car. Let's hear if for local shopping - think of the fuel you'll save by not driving huge distances.

I'll second Kristy's comments - after I found this Target it was a regular visit for things that…read morewere 'end of life' with Target, marked down to clear - I picked up some great bargains in business shirts, pants, and even some electrical products (found an MP3 player marked down to clear at half price, some $70, back when 4gb felt like a lot and a colour screen seemed like a bonus) It is a smaller store - in fact, it feels a lot like a country Target - not the whole product range, and not a huge amount of stock, but the staff are happy to help you find anything if they have it. I still drop in once in a while, but it's not on my way home anymore.

Hands down, one of my favorite shopping centers…read more 2 grocery stores, lovely bottle shop, decent butcher, that bulk goods store where I found bran and spices, that bookshop where I lost my kid, the Portuguese tart place, cinema, and tons more. If I ever need anything from here, it's totally easy to get my kid interested in tagging along because of all the cool things we find here. Plenty of parking all around and super easy to get to.

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.