By Ruby Fox
For this month’s spectacular second hand store, I’ve chosen something a bit different from the usual op shops. Barkly Bazaar is a local vintage store located in the heart of Footscray, on Barkly street.
Unlike the stores I usually discuss, Barkly Bazaar has more of a curated and refined stock, with quite a few designer pieces but at much more affordable prices than buying first-hand.
While there isn’t a lot online about this store as it’s a small, independent business, I did find out that it is owned by a local Westsider! While shopping at big op shops is great to support charities, shopping at stores like this is great to support local small businesses!
While I just randomly stumbled across this store one day walking around Footscray, I was immediately tempted by items I saw through the window and obviously I had to take a look.
The store is a lot smaller than your big second hand stores so there’s less to look through, but the stock is more selective and everything is absolutely stunning!
What caught my eye first was the vast array of beautiful and unique dresses, offering something for every occasion. Something else they have, perfect for this time of year, is leather jackets, with some Calvin Klein and other great brands on offer.
One thing this vintage store has that makes it my new favourite, is all of the fun colours and materials and prints they have on their clothes. It can be hard to find really nice statement pieces, but this store has stunning frilly dresses, sparkly tops and more, along with great shoes and accessories to pair with any outfit.
The service in this store was amazing; the woman working there helped me with my things and made it a great, relaxing shopping experience.
While it’s definitely more expensive than a store like Savers and so on, it’s one of the cheaper vintage stores I’ve been to and is the perfect place to look for that statement piece, but not out of budget.
One of the best things is its location! Just a 12 minute walk from Footscray station, with on-street parking just outside the door, and a free 3-hour car park just a six minute walk away. Super easy to get to for everyone!
This store also has a really strong social media presence, showcasing all of their best stock, alerting people everyday of their opening hours, including public holidays.
Its online reviews are positive too; “highly recommend that shop to all fashion lovers” says one, “lovely clothing, fair prices, and run by a friendly local” says another.
Overall, I think this is a fantastic store, and definitely worth a visit.
