Collins Street shoppers 1965; Chadstone Shopping Centre 1960
“Shopping is a popular pursuit for many Melburnians, and the metropolis is defined by its markets, arcades, shopping strips and flagship stores…This exhibition at the city’s Keith Murdoch Gallery explores Melbourne’s long fascination with buying and selling, from early settlement to the present day” explains ‘til you drop exhibition curator, Jane Rhodes.
Jane describes Melbourne as a ‘City of the New World’, built from scratch on British culture and social customs by entrepreneurs. Melbourne was unique from other cities in Australia throughout the 1800s. Melbourne was not a penal colony like Hobart, nor was it a military settlement like Sydney. The discovery of gold in 1851 resulted in increased wealth in Victoria. The gold rush attracted immigrants to the area, resulting in population growth and increasing demand for developments in transport, technology and industry.
Doing the block, Gt Collins Street, ST Gill, 1880; Buildings in Collins Street 1959
“Melbourne’s consumer spirit was seen at its best on Collins Street by day and Bourke Street by night. Bourke Street offered a bustling street life in a raffish environment of shops and hotels, theatres and music halls, oyster bars and cafes.” Fashionable members of society spent their days on Collins Street and “could be found ‘doing (or promenading) the block” says Jane. Many artists also lived and worked in the Collins Street area, which enriched the street’s European appeal. The ‘Paris End’ of Collins Street included establishments such as La Pastorale, Boulevard Café, Oriental Hotel, Grosvenor Chambers and Le Louvre, which underpinned this end of Collins Street.
Chinese shop, Lt Bourke Street, Eric Thake, 1942; Le Louvre, Collins Street
Melbourne’s arcades form an important part of the exhibition. Melbourne is lucky to have numerous arcades, many of which were modelled on European arcades in Milan, London and Paris. Arcades were popular during the late 1800s in Melbourne because they “were clean, modern and protected the shopper from the heat, dust, rain and mud of the city streets.” Because arcades were a comfortable place to shop, they encouraged people to browse. “Browsing became an accepted and expected pastime.”
The Block Arcade, Mark Strizic, 1967; Block Arcade
Bourke Street’s Royal Arcade, built 1865-1869 is Australia’s oldest surviving shopping arcade. Architect Charles Webb designed this elegant arcade after winning a competition for the commission of this project. Included in the Royal Arcade were 28 shops, including Royal Turkish Baths.
Block Arcade; Hopetoun Tea Rooms
The enchanting Block Arcade is located between Collins and Elizabeth Streets. The name derives from the term “doing the block” which was a fashionable promenade around Melbourne’s shopping streets at the time. Built between 1891-1893, the Block Arcade was one of the first buildings in Melbourne to utilise electricity for the internal lighting. The building also had two hydraulic lifts – very advanced for this time! Some of the delightful shops in the arcade included milliners, glove importers and jewellers. The charming Hopetoun Tea Rooms have been in the arcade since 1892 and are still open today. The Block also has the largest mosaic floor area in Australia.
Manton's department store, Lyle Fowler, c 1943; The Myer Emporium August home sale catalogue, c 1950
Over time, Melbourne has had her fair share of department stores. As department stores have come and gone, Myer has stood the test of time, opening in Melbourne in 1911. The exhibition features an appealing collection of vintage Myer catalogues from the 1930s onwards. Myer has formed a reputation over time for innovative and entertaining Christmas windows, as well as the services and events it offered, such as fashion shows. One wall of the exhibition is dedicated to a Myer timeline from 1910-1960.
Mantons department store was completed in 1937 and occupied the space where the Target building now stands. Included in the exhibition are eight gorgeous fashion illustrations from the department store.
Although established in 1880, Georges department store moved from its original premises and settled at 162-68 Collins Street in 1889, becoming reowned for its wide selection of goods and high quality service.
Chadstone Shopping Centre from the carpark, Wolfgang Sievers, 1962; Poster for the organic fruit and vegetable cooperative, Collingwood, Greg Smith, 1985
Post war days witnessed the growth of the suburban shopping malls such as Chadstone (1960), Northland (1967), Southland (1969), which catered to expanding suburban populations. Chadstone became know for its ‘family spirit’ because of the safe, casual atmosphere it offered. During the 1960s nearly every Australian household owned a car, allowing people more freedom with when and where they shopped. Suburban shopping centres also resulted in the growth of supermarkets. This had a dramatic effect on how much people purchased. In 1950, the average grocery store contained 1500 items. In 1975 the average supermarket contained 12,000 items. Ironically, society has now come full circle, witnessing a return to local and organic produce over the last few years. Popularity of farmer’s markets and supermarket’s gourmet/organic selections has increased due to this shift.
A film of various Melbourne Street scenes was projected onto one wall of the exhibition. “Today Melbourne’s city streets, laneways and inner suburbs are being re-invented by local councils, traders and shoppers…secret laneways invest the city with an idiosyncratic style and character…Today, a store can be a café, a workshop or a gallery as well as a retail space” says Jane. The fast-paced freedom of retail means that there is always something new in Melbourne, so rest assure that you will most certainly shop ’til you drop in this beautiful city!
200 items from Melbourne’s State Library collection have been included in this free exhibition. A trip to the exhibition to see these items alone is well worth the visit. One such highlight is an antique cash register that looks more like a piece of art than a working machine.
Events: There are a series of interesting and informative events that run alongside this exhibition. Click here for further details.
Image credits: all vintage images © 2010 State Library of Victoria; all contemporary photography by Courtney Symes
Open 11 December 2009 – 31 October 2010 from 10.00-17.00 daily (to 21.00 Thursdays) at Keith Murdoch Gallery, State Library of Victoria.
