Best places to buy gifts
As Christmas nears, CityMag shares the CBD and suburban gift shops on our hitlist.
Flourish
A corner of Flourish’s Stepney store. This picture: via Instagram
114 King William Road
Flourish’s stock is as bright and exciting as the name suggests. They have two stores in Hyde Park and Stepney, with the Hyde Park store boasting a custom charm bar to create your own necklaces or bracelets for yourself or a friend. Flourish has been providing quality gifts since 2004 and celebrated its 20th birthday in October. They source a range of new and preloved wares, with fun textiles and on-trend products like the Baggu crescent bag or Frank Green water bottles.
Their Hyde Park and Stepney store is open 7 days, find opening hours via their website or shop online.
Gilles at the Grounds
Leader Street, Adelaide Showground
Gilles at the Grounds is the evolution of the Gilles Street Market that traded on the grounds of Gilles Street Primary School for 10 years before moving out of the CBD and into the Adelaide Showground’s old dairy shed in 2018. The pavilion fits a potential 114 traders, with rows of goodies and an outdoor area full of food trucks, a kids zone and live music to make a day of your shopping trip. There will be a night market and food truck frenzy this Saturday, November 30 from 3pm ’til 9pm followed by the Gilles Gift Bazaar on Sunday, December 1. Expect the usual mix of vintage clothing, candles, jewellery, and other locally-made gifts plus some seasonal extras like blue gum wreaths from florist Wilderstems and Gingerbread from GG’s Cupcakery.
If you miss those dates, the last market before Christmas is December 15. Stay up to date with them on Instagram.
This picture: Charlie Gilchrist
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Gitanjali
99 Walkerville Tce, Walkerville
Deriving its name from a collection of poems by the 20th-century Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali pays homage to its owner’s backpacking through South East Asia, India and Nepal during the late 1980s. Translating literally as a “song offering”, Gitanjali stocks everything from cotton nighties to Etikette Soy Candles, Kimonos and SilaiWali handcrafted dolls. “I am a collector. I love the quirky and colourful. I love new and unique and I certainly love the old, slightly worn and full of stories,” says Gitanjali owner Helen. For the curious-minded, Gitanjali also offers workshops, including an upcoming Joy of Painting Masterclass with Tristan Merriam, and the Annie Sloan CHALK PAINT Basics and Annie Sloan CHALK PAINT Decoupage workshops. The store also has gift vouchers for those picky gift receivers.
Gitanjali is open 10am ’til 5pm Monday ’til Friday and 10am ’til 4pm on Saturdays.
Have You Met Charlie
This picture: Helen Karakulak/CityMag
Shop 12, Adelaide Arcade and Shop 2, 51 Jetty Rd, Brighton, 5048
Have You Met Charlie has been selling quality gifts for 10 years, beginning as a pop-up shop in Charles Street Plaza and now with two locations in the Adelaide Arcade and at Brighton. Founder Lauren Harper is also the mind behind Mintcloud, a jewellery label that takes up a large portion of Have You Met Charlie’s wall space – perks of being the boss. All the brands and products sold in-store are small and independent businesses, with a handful of overseas brands, some interstate-based but the majority are made in South Australia. Whether you’re after jewellery, homewares, self-care items, or kids’ gifts for a loved one or to spoil yourself, Charlie’s got you covered.
The Adelaide Arcade store has extended Christmas hours from November 29, and the Brighton store is open 9am ’til 5pm Monday to Saturday and 9am ’til 4pm Sundays.
Le Room Semaphore
This picture: Claudia Dichiera/CityMag
91 Semaphore Rd, Semaphore SA 5019
Le Room is choc-a-bloc with homewares, jewellery and plenty more to gift this season. For over a decade they’ve been trading in retro tableware, coffee table books, sleek linens and stocking fillers. The range also varies to accommodate budgets big and small. We’ve been known to duck into Le Room for a browse on a sunny day in Semaphore, a suburb that’s upping its hospo game with its revamped kiosk and new venture Hapi Daze. It’s also a great place to pick up a card in a pinch because whatever the occasion, they’ve probably got a cute one.
Le Room is open Wednesday – Friday 11am ’til 5pm, Saturday 10am ’til 5pm and Sunday 11am ’til 4pm.
little bohemian
21 King Willian Road, Unley
Little bohemian is known for its vast array of bespoke cushions made in-store, using a range of fabrics like tattie and Izmir, leopard spots and stripes. Each cushion comes with a patterned front and solid backing, with overlocked seams for extra strength and to prevent fraying, while a feather insert provides for plumpness and comfort. As owner Leah explains: “Creating bespoke cushions with an undeniable fabulousness and inimitable magic is what little bohemian has become known for”. In addition to an extensive range of cushions, little bohemian also offers a range of other gift options, from homewares to plates and bowls, bathroom accessories, throw rugs and door mats.
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Little Bohemian is open Tuesday ’til Saturday from 10am ’til 4pm.
Old Mother’s Cupboard
215 Torrens Road, Croydon
If you’re a lover of vintage, retro and mid-century bric-a-brac, then Old Mother’s Cupboard has you covered. You can expect to find everything from mid-century vases to Japanese Gempo pottery, a 1970s lounge suite from the Module Maverick line and retro Tupperware. Old Mother’s Cupboard recently celebrated two years of its Croydon store, having started out at Pratty’s Showgrounds Warehouse Market, before moving to the Fisherman’s Wharf Market in Port Adelaide until the market closed down in 2022.
Old Mother’s Cupboard is open Thursday through ’til Sunday from 11am ’til 3pm or by appointment.
One Rundle Trading Co
20 Stuart Road, Dulwich
Drawing inspiration from the picturesque English, French and Italian countryside, One Rundle Trading Co offers everything from designer fashion to home décor, antiques, fine jewellery and art. At One Rundle, you might find antique field binoculars, Aboriginal artwork, Herringbone seagrass rugs and Malene Birger Cebelie bags. “One Rundle [is] inspired by the decoration and design of European country houses throughout the centuries,” the store says. “We are determined to inject that timeless period style with the freshness and vitality of the Australian interior.” An adjoining florist, the Flower Bar by One Rundle, sells potted phalaenopsis orchids, Ranunculus seasonal bunches, wedding bouquets and more. Or why not take the stress out of planning your event or decorating your house with One Rundle’s event management and interior design services?
One Rundle is open 9am ’til 5 pm Monday – Friday, 9.30am ’til 5pm on Saturdays and 11am ’til 5pm on Sundays.
Three of Cups
This picture: Helen Karakulak/CityMag
Level 2, The Myer Centre, Rundle Mall
Three of Cups is the home of tea, treats and tarot in the CBD, and has cultivated a loyal community since opening at the end of 2023. The brainchild of Vix Ferguson and Tasha Falco Lewis, Three of Cups is a queer-owned and operated business passionate about creating a space that’s accessible and fills a gap for local LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse communities. They serve hand-brewed teas, and baked goods and stock locally made giftware in the Myer Centre. If you’re looking for something special for the good witches in your life or an alternative friend with a thing for the unusual, or just fancy a bloody good cup of tea, this is the place for you. For last-minute gift-giving, they’re holding a Midsummer Noël Market on December 22, fusing Litha festivities, alternative holiday ware and international Christmas traditions.
Three of Cups is open 10am ’til 5pm Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10am ’til 9pm Fridays, and 11am ’til 5pm Sundays.
Wander Home
675 Grange Rd, Grange SA 5022
Wander Home is another local-loving gift store in Adelaide’s west with plenty of colourful wares for the quaint or the quirky. Whether you’re after tableware, jigsaw puzzles, coffee table books from Adelaide powerhouses like Parwana or Christmas ornaments, they’ve got you covered. Wander in seven days; they’re open Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm. Sunday 11am – 4pm.
Want more specific suggestions? Check out our considerate gift guide.
Contributing journalists: Claudia Dichiera, Charlie Gilchrist and Helen Karakulak.