In Touch Imports

In Touch Imports is the biggest and best of the many variety stores on Smith Street, selling everything from pet products, to kitchen appliances and Halloween costumes.
As is generally the case with bargain stores, everything here is seriously low quality, but also low cost, which is often a good trade off (depending on what you’re buying).
I did buy a mop here the other week, though, and it broke literally one minute after taking it out of it’s packaging. Was not happy about that one. But if you’re after really basic things that don’t have many parts, make In Touch Imports your first point of call.

This place is huge — really huge. I was on Smith St the other day and was caught in some exceptionally sunny weather ill prepared and thought I’d pop in here to get some cheap sunnies for the afternoon.
I didn’t realise that I was walking in to an emporium of Chinese cheap goods. I like wandering around these stores as you never really know what you might find.
Most of it is worthless crap that will break after you use it one, but it’s still fun to check out. This place is designed a bit cheekily though. I went down one aisle and as the store is so deep, I figured it would have a break in the aisle so I could move about, but no. You have to walk all the way to the end of the store. You might not think this is bad, but I’m serious when I say this place is huge.
Anyway I walked all the way down and all the way back and was too tired to check out any of the other aisles. I found the sunnies — right next to the entrance, and picked up a dodgy pair for $ 3.50 — super cheap.

A one-​stop shop for cheap, imported everything. No, really, everything!
Hardware, kitchenware, art supplies, laundry items, dog statues, novelty lighters. Aussie-​flag beer coolers… you name it. It’s where I go before a music festival to stock up on ponchos and stupid things to wear.
On that note, they have the biggest dress-​up selection of anywhere I’ve been and there is some really random stuff — masks, various glowstick items, weird hen’s parties items, stupid glasses, capes.
It is crazy cheap, but it’s impossible to leave without an armful of things you don’t really need.