The best gift shops in Melbourne

Maggie May, an artist specialising in macramé, and Joshua Moshe, a jazz musician, met through mutual friends at Bar Open. Their friendship blossomed into a relationship and they combined their passion for the arts into an idea for a local business. Thinkers and Makers in Caulfield North is a gift shop filled with goods by local artists and makers – we're talking a beautifully curated mix of baby essentials, toys, self-care products, books, art, homewares and kitchen favourites. Best of all, every purchase comes with complimentary gift wrapping and the store offers free local delivery as well as same-day dispatch Australia-wide.

Address: 126-128 Hawthorn Rd, Caulfield North

Need something for a book lover? Across two elegant and serene levels, this cosy bookshop features a broad yet considered range of contemporary fiction and non-fiction titles, along with an expansive selection of international imports. Hill of Content is the place to go for harder to find texts, and if you're not too sure what you're looking for, the staff are more than happy to give you a hand. It also first opened its doors in 1922, so visiting is like taking a step back in history. 

Address: Shop 1/32 Bourke St, Melbourne 

Third Drawer Down is a great store for art and weird randomness – the sort of one-off finds that make excellent presents. Started by Abigail Crompton in 2003, it collaborates with Aussie and international artists who reimagine their works into objects that are entertaining, interesting and made with care. You can get a planter shaped like a giant ice cream cone, an egg-shaped maraca and plates with lovely messages on them. There's an endless array of goodies that would mark you as an excellent gift giver.

Address: Heide Museum of Modern Art, 7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen

There's something special about giving the gift of a new signature scent. So head to Brisbane-born brand Libertine Parfumerie's new flagship store on Armadale’s High Street. With a richly layered interior by Australian designer Tamsin Johnson, the boutique feels more like a Parisian apartment than a shop. Inside, shelves are lined with some of the fragrance world’s most coveted houses – from Creed and Trudon to Amouage, Matiere Premiere, Santa Maria Novella and Xerjoff – spanning personal scent, home fragrance and bath and body. 

Address: 1023 High Street, Armadale

When you think of friendship jewellery, you probably envisage those classic necklaces that are two halves of a heart. While cute, if you're an adult who wants to show off your friendship with a loved one perhaps you're after something a bit more mature. Lucy Folk specialises in playful and ornate macrame friendship bracelets with plated metals. They look like a far more sophisticated version of those string bracelets you might have made at school camp. You can also shop for gorgeous clothes, swimwear, bags and other accessories.

Address: 151 Albert St, Windsor

Shop directly from Melbourne's best artists, designers, crafters and makers at this Fitzroy-based market. While we highly recommend visiting the colourful market in-person, you can also shop Rose Street Artists' Market's offerings online through the directory. They have everything from handmade ceramics and original paintings to one-of-a-kind jewellery designs.

Address: 60 Rose St, Fitzroy

Fun, quirky design at accessible prices is the go at Monsterthreads – a series of gift shops that began as stalls at several Sydney markets. Regular customers love Monsterthreads for the brand’s signature animal designs which pop up on necklaces, men’s and women’s clothing, and wallets. Think robot pandas, sailor cats, bears in dapper suits and busking sharks on everything from cute cycling accessories to statement socks. 

Address: QV Melbourne, Cnr Lonsdale St & Swanston St, Melbourne

Got a friend with a taste for home décor that’s a bit out of the ordinary? At Crate Expectations – located on a leafy side street off Glenferrie Road – you’re guaranteed to find homewares, furniture, paintings and prints that make a statement. Owner Georgina Bird is very hands-on with selecting pieces by local designers and helping customers find exactly what they’re looking for. There's also a beautiful range of clothing from brands like Binny, Rebecca Thompson and more.

Address: 1A Llaneast St, Armadale

Gewürzhaus carries more than 350 single-origin spices, salts, peppers, teas and herbs from around the world to choose from, but where this family-owned business really shines is in their small-batch blends that the staff mix themselves. The German-style Glühwein Gewürz mix makes it easy to make the perfect batch of mulled wine and the quick butter chicken blend makes whipping up dinner a breeze. You can buy the blends by the jarful or create a hamper of smaller samples.

Address: Many stores all over Victoria 

Melbourne’s Chris Crouch has made his mark on the city in more ways than one. He’s the former owner of Fitzroy North’s Tramway Hotel, cult shop Polyester Records and music label Candle Records. These days, he runs Happy Valley Shop – a collection of carefully selected books, vinyl records, art and gifts. You’d be hard-pressed to find some of these products elsewhere, which is always a good thing when it comes to choosing the perfect pressie. 

Address: 294 Smith St, Collingwood 

Spoilt offers a wide variety of stylish gifts and homewares including jewellery, accessories, handbags, bath and body products, baby gear and more. Owner Chelsea McIntosh prides her store in having a warm family culture that supports local communities by regularly donating stock and sourcing much-need items for organisations like St Kilda Mums Charity. Surprise your loved ones with beautiful products that they wouldn't think to buy for themselves.

Address: Stores in Melbourne CBD, Docklands and Hampton

Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy of Dinosaur Designs – makers of distinctively chunky, colourful resin jewellery – have two Melbourne stores: South Yarra and the CBD. The furniture in these stores are works of art themself, and are hand-crafted from resin featuring elements of stone, marble and copper. The result is a suitably unique fit-out for statement jewellery, drinkware, vases and serving dishes.

Address: 562 Chapel St, South Yarra and Shop T06, The Strand, 250 Elizabeth St, Melbourne

For years now, In.cube8r has been a Smith Street staple when it comes to locally designed fashion, jewellery, artworks and ceramics. The way the business operates is refreshingly simple: artists are invited to rent retail space in the store and keep 100 per cent of their sales. It's a place where artists can display as little or as much as they like, and test their wares on the public before expanding their offering. 

Address: 321 Smith Street, Fitzroy