General Retailers
The Strand Arcade
412-414 George St
Sydney, NSW, 2000
The Strand Arcade
The Strand Arcade remains a majestic beauty in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Sydney's CBD. Many retailers including The Nut Shop, Elie's leather Repair, John Azzi Hair and Strand Hatters have traded for decades, becoming well known Sydney institutions. Today the centre is a unique mix of Australian designer fashion and specialty stores catering for a discerning, sophisticated clientele.
It seems as if all of the cities in Australia (or at least all of the ones that I've visited) seems to have one of these really old arcades. I actually really like these arcades because they add a really nice colonial charm to the city, especially when you are surrounded by modern buildings. Okay, The Strand Arcade does happen to have a JB Hi-Fi in the basement, which sort of kills that charm a bit, but when you walk past the stairs you can somewhat feel like you have stepped back in time (that is if you ignore all of the people trundling around the place in their modern dress). Mind you, the shops here aren't really all that cheap, but at least there are a decent number of coffee shops that you can sit inside an enjoy a nice cup of coffee.
I love the old school charm that The Strand Arcade provides. From the grand architecture of the building's design to the designer stores and elegance of each and every shop. I don't think there is any other arcade where you can still get your shoes polish. Signing up to their newsletter you are first to hear about great sales and Nights with the Designers which is elegance to a tee.