Shopping

Lesser Known Shopping Precincts to Explore on Foot

City of Perth18 Sep '205 min read

ruck rover

While Murray Street and Enex are deservedly well trodden shopping destinations, there’s something satisfying about walking down a hidden laneway or an unfamiliar street to find something unique you might not have discovered elsewhere. If you know where to go, Perth is filled to the brim with lesser known streets and alleyways to explore by foot.

Here's our guide on where to go:

William Street

If you need to do a clothes shop but feel overwhelmed by the idea of spending time in an enclosed mall, then William Street is a great alternative. The street spans for several kilometers, so it helps to start at one end and work your way down. With plenty of parking around the Roe Street end, it’s a good place to start and you’ll find most of the clothing stores up that way too. For vintage hunters, there’s stores like Vinnies Retro and Fi & Co to browse through, but if a local designer is what you’re after, check out stores like Chachi, Ruck Rover and Periscope .

If you get hungry, there’s plenty of spots to stop on the way like Hongkies Kitchen, La Cholita, or Bivouac. Towards the tail end of William Street, you’ll find street art supplies and apparel from The Butcher Shop and useful designer gifts at William Topp.

Moore Contemporary gallery

The East End

Spanning from Barrack Street in the west, all the way to Hill Street, The East End is one of Perth’s most exciting up and coming cultural hubs. Home to a large number of heritage listed buildings, the emerging precinct is already lined with museums, galleries, creative retail spaces and specialty coffee shops. You’ll find the sleek Moore Contemporary Gallery in Cathedral Square and multi-gallery artist-run-initiative Cool Change Gallery, a collaboration between the people from Paper Mountain, Polizia and Moana. If art isn’t what you’re in the market for, there’s plenty more on offer like Dada Records, one of Australia’s longest standing independent record stores with an impressive claim as the largest selection of new vinyl in the southern hemisphere. For gift shoppers, if you meander towards the State Buildings on St Georges Terrace and Barrack Street, you’ll find the incredible Sue Lewis Chocolatier, the famous guys from the Honeycake and Fox & Rabbit floristry.

king street

King Street

This upmarket collection of jewellery and fashion labels like Chanel, Watches of Switzerland, Linney’s and Hardy Brothers is the closest thing you’ll get to Knightsbridge in London. The cute streetscape and beautiful window displays are worth a visit in themselves. You’ll also find other fashion forward brands like, Zomp, King St Collective and Borgioli along with local company Cult Status who curate a selection of the latest luxury accessories.

london court

London Court

Built in 1937, a trip down London Court is the closest thing you’ll get to Diagon Alley (for Harry Potter fans) in Perth, but it’s also a great place to shop for real treasure. If you’re looking for a piece of jewelry to gift a loved one, or maybe even a wedding ring, you won’t be short for options in London Court. Packed full of more jewelry stores than you can count on one hand, you’ll find stores like KD Diamonds, Marian Constantine Goldsmith and Shadwick’s Fine Jewellery. There’s also Shearers Genuine Ugg for those who need to replace an old pair, or want to partake in the most comfortable shoe trend that ever was. On the off chance you don’t find what you were looking for, it would’ve been worth the walk through the beautiful Tudor-style architecture for a little taste of what it might’ve been like to be alive during the Elizabethan era.