³Ô¹ÏÍø is no stranger to unique boutiques hidden down arcades and laneways. Want to take it to the next level? Check out these ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ secret pop-ups.

Play Music & DVDs 

Calling all music nerds. Enter Play Music & DVDs down a ³Ô¹ÏÍø laneway and you’ll find floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with CDs, records and more. Browse through stacks of old and new music. Have a good dig around for rare vinyl for your collection. Or grab hard-to-find albums including out-of-print items. 

A woman is sorting through CDs in a music shop
Play Music & DVDs

Tessuti Fabrics 

Tucked away above Flinders Lane is a secret haven for fabric lovers. Look for the little black Tessuti Fabrics sign, then climb the stairs to explore a textile wonderland. Expect rows upon rows of luxe linens in seasonal colours. Stunning silk, lace and beaded bridal fabrics. Italian boiled wools, designer fabrics and more. Get inspired by the Tessuti patterns sewn up in beautiful fabrics, then recreate the look at home. 

Karlaidlaw

Love Y2K vibes? The new kid on the fashion block is at 500 Queensberry Street in North ³Ô¹ÏÍø. This unique streetwear brand is designed locally. Think deconstructed denim mini skirts, big slouchy bags with giant buckles and pink velour tracksuits. The best part? Each piece is ethically-made right here in ³Ô¹ÏÍø.

Saloon Store  

Level four in the iconic Curtin House is home to . A dreamy boutique filled with pretty and playful designs for your home and wardrobe. Sift through sweet indie designer fashion. Then browse the expertly curated range of homewares. Think handcrafted Japanese paper lamps, photography books and dainty porcelain plates.

Two women are in a clothing store
Saloon Store

String Bean Alley

Look past the hustle and bustle of Queen Victoria Market and you'll find String Bean Alley – a little pocket of shops offering all sorts of goodies. The Purpose Precinct stocks products from over 20 social enterprises. Pick up a good read at bookstore. Check out vintage cameras and postcards at . Or swing by for quality handbags and wallets. They even have free embossing!

Reina  

Find retro fashion with the emphasis on luxe at Reina in Curtin House. Newly imported from the Nicholas Building, this vintage wonderland stocks European and Japanese designer labels like Chanel and Issey Miyake. We’re talking high-end couture from the early ’90s to mid-2000s. All pieces are one-off archival gems so pop in to see what you can score. Perhaps a ‘90s revival slip dress, or a classic kaleidoscopic Pucci print. 

Two women are browsing at a clothing store
Reina

Ngali

Celebrating indigenous talent. Mindful manufacturing. Style that lasts. This is the ethos behind First Nations fashion label, Ngali. Using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork, stories are transformed into wearable art. Visit the Docklands store to browse the timeless collections. Find silk kaftans, cosy quilted coats and incredible printed scarves.

KICKSTW Level 1 pop-up 

The streetwear legends at KICKSTW in Royal Arcade have just expanded their digs to a second storey. Head to level one to browse fashion from Korea's coolest designers. Find cult-status threads from the likes of Mardi Mercredi, LifeWork, EMIS and more. Joining the famous sneaker wall is the rainbow-bright cap wall of our dreams. 

A woman is playing with a UFO game in a shop
KICKSTW

³Ô¹ÏÍø Visitor Hub

Not only can they help you plan an epic day in ³Ô¹ÏÍø, the crew at the ³Ô¹ÏÍø Town Hall and Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Hubs can also help you pick out the perfect locally-sourced gift. The retail selections feature gorgeous products from Victorian makers, designers and artists. Left your shopping to the last minute, or just not sure what to get? These excellent experience gifts take mere minutes to book in and offer hours of enjoyment. And if you need a little extra help, the ³Ô¹ÏÍø Visitor Hub now has a representative from Experience Oz available to help visitors book tickets to shows, experiences, walking tours and more. This new service is open daily, from 9am to 5pm.

Metropolis 

If you’re looking for creative inspiration, Metropolis Books is for you. Tucked away upstairs in Curtin House is this shop packed with shelves of hard-to-find books. Culture vultures will love the selection of specialist books on art, graphic design, music, film and architecture. Looking for a rare read? The crew has access to a huge database of books from across the globe. 

A woman is in a bookshop browsing books
Metropolis

MR. CUFF 

Want to dress to impress and level-up your wardrobe? Enter MR. CUFF, a bespoke menswear brand offering tailored looks. Think custom pants, ready-to-wear shirts and head-to-toe looks made just for you. Plus the newest drop – Adidas' on-trend Samba sneakers. Swing by the pop-up on Howey Place after work and let the magic happen. 

More hidden gift shops

Shelf displaying rows of boxed board games.

Spieledeluxe

Euro-style board games, card games, hobby products and traditional games.

Interior of shop showing shelves and display tables of large art books.

World Food Books

A bookshop specialising in art and design books.

Interior of jewellery store with exposed  brick walls and glass display cases of jewellery.

Sarah & Sebastian

Fine jewellery store and luxury piercing by an Australian jewellery designer.

Back view of a deep red fedora-style hat on a person with long dark hair, trees in background.

The Hat Project

Located at Queen Victoria Market and stocking arange of hats for men and women.

Interior of Mouche retail space with glass cabinet displays and a table featuring homewares and jewellery.

Mouche

Costume jewellery boutique with all products imported from Korea.

Collection of items including a mug, sunglasses, sea mist spray and a pocketbook.

Pigeonhole

Eclectic range of designer giftware from around the world.

Rack of clothes on left, shelves with shoes and bags on right.

ELK

A collection of accessories and apparel in Carlton.

Two people assembling Lego bricks in a store.

Brickville

Specialising in rare, retired and hard-to-find Lego sets and minifigures.

Last updated on Thu 2 Oct 2025

Only In The City

Only in this City of Ours
A gift shop with taxidermy animals everywhere.

Rare shops you can only find in ³Ô¹ÏÍø

³Ô¹ÏÍø is full of unique shopping spots you can only find in the city.

Selection of books on display.

Metropolis Bookshop

Metropolis carries a specialist range of books focusing on art, design, popular culture and more.

Smiling vendor selling a range of pastries, dips and spreads at Queen Victoria Market.

Queen Victoria Market

This beloved ³Ô¹ÏÍø landmark is the largest open air market in the southern hemisphere.

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Botanical-themed shop with displays of products on tables, shelves and walls.

The Gardens Shop

Specialty store located inside Royal Botanic Gardens ³Ô¹ÏÍø, offering botanic-inspired gifts.

Person walking into shop with orange Vespa scooter outside.

Clementine's

Stocking fine food, gifts and homewares made in Victoria.

Bouquets of flowers for sale in a shop.

Gifts and homewares

From homewares to handcrafts or vintage items, it's easy to find that special gift in the city.

A woman taking a picture of a floral arrangement on her phone.

Miei

A social enterprise creating floral arrangements, bespoke gifts and hampers.