Fremantle has an old soul, so it’s not surprising to find a strong analogue vibe threading through its shopping offerings. Paperbacks, vinyl, retro clothes and vintage bric a brac: when the old school urge strikes, Freo delivers.
Adding to the good slew of thrift shops are some curated retro and vintage clothing stores. Hit them up for great jackets, dresses, shoes and pants. In the city centre, try Vintage in Wonderland, Wear2, Get Lucky and Nifty in Freo for clothes and vintage accessories. In South Fremantle, Bonjour Ma Belle is a little trove of natty dresses and other vintage finds.
For furniture and curios for the home, Hey Joe Retro does 50s, 60s and 70s with flair. Trish’s Place in North Fremantle has antiques and curios spanning everything from glassware to mirrors, hat stands and elaborate antique dining suites.
A fun way to pass a couple of hours is at Old Values in Holland Street. It’s not in the city centre, but it’s worth seeking out for its ever-changing array of retro furniture, timber boxes, old photographs, salvaged drawers, tin stencils and the like. Back in High Street, Beat Happening is a shrine to vintage culture, selling tees, books, comics, vinyl and kitchen collectables with a retro feel.
Vinyl hunters will have a field day in the two-storey Record Finder, an importer of music from around the world. Every genre is covered in the massive collection of new and used LPs, 45s and 78s, and you can by record players here too. There’s more vinyl to flip through at the independent store, Mills Records.
Hankering for the toasty smell of old books? Elizabeth’s Bookshop on the Cappuccino Strip is a rambling second hand book seller where many hours are readily lost. For a more compact experience, try Bill Campbell Books on High Street.