Thursday 20 September 2007

josies is my local

My local op shop that is. Situated here in Balaclava, around the corner at 255 Carlisle Street, I believe that Josies (tel. 9527 2929; M-F 9:00-4:00) is Melbourne's only Jewish op shop. Just last week they had a wooden musical box with a picture of Jerusalem's Wailing Wall on it. Not sure what the tune was though.

Josies is a small op shop - clothing, some toys, books, shoes, some homewares, some linen, some bric-a-brac, no furniture. I can't honestly say that their stock is great but I do mostly find something whenever I go in. (How often is that? hmmm, weekly.) Some good buys have been: a copy of Hanging Out with Cici by Francine Pascal* which I read as a child and am storing for baby bear; a fine knit cabled men's woollen jumper for Tim from Saba; a black wool Valentino skirt made in France with a tiny waist that will be refashioned; and best of all, the boob trumpet, ah, that is, the breast pump. This device has been a life saver and cost me only $8 (they retail for around $90) - it does actually count as a best find ever. Kudos to my neighbour who spotted it in the window and alerted me.

So Josies is certainly worth a look - all that they are missing is an apostrophe.

* Yikes, I just learned that Francine Pascal was the author of all those Sweet Valley High books, which I didn't read. Cici will never be the same.

5 comments:

Miss Cinti - my poppet said...

I've been to another jewish op shop in hawthorn rd caulfield. Big wig selection and lots of lovely holiday knick knacks from israel. worth a look in.

emma said...

Josies is my local too, though Sacred Heart on the corner of Inkerman & Hotham has superceded on the success-per-visit scale. In the past I have found some great quality mens' gear at Josies (my husband will testify)

pearl said...

Josies is also my local op shop and I go into it weekly... I got a great little hoffman pottery pudding bowl in mint condition for $1 there just a few weeks ago!

opper said...

hello,

is this the same josies that was in Elsternwick next door to the supermarket? It has recently closed down although there was a sign inside saying they had moved. Does anyone know where they have moved to?

Anonymous said...

Opper - No, not the same place. Josies Balaclave Rd was there in 1980 when I used to wag school with Kerry and go opp shopping for 30's , 40's and 50's clothes and over sized mens collarless dinner shirts and stripey granpa shirts.

The ladies used to buy fancy pastries every morning and sit at the counter eating tem with coffee.

There was another opp shop a few doors down The StKilda Welfare op shop.