Yooralla Bargain Shop

Op shops are pretty darn trendy in the inner northern suburbs. Consequently, some have taken advantage and upped their prices a tad in the last decade, while constant attack from on their stock leaves them depleted of the truly awesome finds.
Thankfully, there are still many traditionally minded op shops out there. Yooralla is cheaper than most, especially considering it’s in a high traffic student and hipster area. It manages to attract and cater to all sorts.
There’s a superior range of books to most, and you’ll find a lot of locally themed reads amongst them, such as old good food guides and histories of the area. It’s not too cluttered, and everything is easy enough to browse.
It also helps that Yooralla is a great cause to support, as it assists Victorians living with a disability. As such, it’s an all-​round win.

Let’s be honest, sometimes op-​shopping in Melbourne can be more expensive then shopping at a retail chain.
Thankfully stores like this exist. Yooralla is like a big chest of items that you have to rummage through to find ‘your treasure’. I always walk past and see such a different range of people in here… Whether they be suits, soccer mums, or students, i think they all know that some rad items can be found in this little store.
On several occasions i’ve found suitable business shirts and vintage accessories, it’s to go back every once in a while and see what’s new.

Finding a treasure among op shop junk is one of life’s greatest pleasures, simply because it’s so hard to do. I visit the Yooralla Bargain Shop at least once a month to sort through their array of homewares, books and clothes, and I’ve found the treasure-​to-​junk ratio here to be slightly higher than other inner-​city op shops.
To date I’ve got a much needed oil heater ($ 10), a cute floral set of cup and saucers ($ 6), a vintage leather bag ($ 8) and an awesome canary yellow necklace ($ 2). I think that’s a pretty good haul. Right now they have a bamboo shelving unit I’m eyeing off, but it needs a good coat of paint which I may be too lazy to give it.
The shop itself is a decent size but not too overcrowded with stuff, and the merchandise turns over fairly fast. The proceeds from go to the Yooralla foundation, which supports people living with disabilities. I’m guessing the staff are volunteers — they’re generally friendly even if you’re just browsing, but don’t make the mistake of bringing food or drink inside!
If you’ve got unwanted possessions you’d like to donate, have a chat with the staff.