Hobart shopping guide

This list is far from exhaustive I'm sure, but here are some short notes about the best spots for a browse and a buy that I found whilst in Hobart. Most of these places specialise in creations from small-scale Tasmanian designers or local artisan food producers, meaning that you can get your hands on some unique and yummy things. Also take a peek at my general thoughts on the lovely city of Hobart here.

The Maker

Perhaps the nicest thing about The Maker is the simple, white-but-warm, grown-up, cosy-cool aesthetic that sits nicely in the historic industrial space of the converted Salamanca warehouses. Of course, you can’t overlook the lots of lovely things: ljstruthers clothing by designer-owner Leonie Struthers, as well as ceramics, jewellery, textiles, gifts and assorted goodies from across the island. It feels as though every single thing in the store has been very carefully and personally chosen to fit the space’s exquisite tastefulness as well as its ethos — it’s all by local Tasmanian ‘makers.’ The ladies were very helpful with my attempts to track down a copy of Kinfolk magazine, of which they’re to be one of the few lucky carriers in Australia. Check out their online store here, but I strongly recommend an in-person browse if you can get to Hobart.

Sadly, The Maker’s more colourful sister store Love & Clutter was closed when I stopped by, but it is apparently replete with more locally created gifts, jewellery, accessories, and Leonie Struthers’ children’s clothing.

the maker
Shop 5, Salamanca Arts Centre
77 Salamanca Place, Hobart

love & clutter
31 Murray Street, Hobart

http://www.themakerhobart.com.au

The Hobart Book Shop

I do love to come across a nice, flourishing independent bookseller. With a fine, discriminating second-hand collection among the new books, this one was warm and bright and satisfying.

The Hobart Book Shop
22 Salamanca Square, Hobart

http://www.hobartbookshop.com.au

Spacebar Gallery

Fun, eclectic, and colourful. Individual artists and craftspeople lease shelf and hanger space within Spacebar Gallery, with the profits heading 100% in the direction of the creators. Conceptually, it’s a nice idea, allowing smaller local and interstate makers to showcase and sell their works without the overheads of a full retail space. It also ensures that the store has a nice sense of variety and fullness, stocking a range of crafty, colourful, and cool things: men’s and women’s fashion, jewellery, accessories, homewares, and visual arts. The jewellery creations — think crochet necklaces, enamel bangles, and big bright beads with an earthy feel — were most appealing to me.

Spacebar Gallery
Studio 21, Salamanca Arts Centre
77 Salamanca Place, Hobart

http://www.spacebargallery.com.au

A Common Ground

A small space packed to the brim with delightful edibles, A Common Ground is like a dream home pantry under the stairs. It stocks breads, cheeses, jams, honey, pickles, relishes, oils, glazes, mustards, and jellies and so forth — all from Tasmanian artisan producers, of course. The little store is the project of food writer Matthew Evans and cheesemaker Nick Haddow of the Bruny Island Cheese Company. Pop by for a chat (the staff were very knowledgeable and helpful about local produce) and a nibble: we tasted some ultra-sweet, ultra-tangy raspberry jam, and some hot, hot mustard from Bruny Island so good that we had to take some home.

Shop online here

A Common Ground
Shop 3, Salamanca Arts Centre
77 Salamanca Place, Hobart

http://www.acommonground.com.au

Wursthaus Kitchen

“Oooh yumm” was, I believe, my first utterance on entering Wursthaus, a delicatessen/butcher/charcuterie/cheese shop/bottle shop. The smell of warming goodies was very hungry-making. They’ve got ready-made meals, sandwiches and cakes (the apple honey cake and Belgian flourless chocolate looked particularly good), smallgoods, meats, pantry items, chocolates, wines, cheese, fresh Pigeonhole bakery breads…I could go on! If you have access to a kitchen whilst in Hobart, this would be the place to stock up on home-away-from-home foodie comforts with a local twist. We sufficed with house-made chicken and leek pies, warmed and eaten in the park nearby: a perfect belly-warmer for the wintry day that it was!

Wursthaus Kitchen
1 Montpelier Retreat
Battery Point, Hobart

http://www.wursthaus.com.au

Inside Home & Gifts

Inside is well stocked with gifts, stationary, accessories (including Nancybird), children’s and babies’ things, ceramics (including Rob Ryan’s pretty designs), and jewellery. I didn’t find this the most remarkable gift store in the country, but they did have some very lovely papers, wrapping and cards, and a scattering of locally-designed creations.

Inside Home & Gifts
90 Murray Street, Hobart

The Retro Fudge Bar

I know, I know, it sounds tacky and touristy, but this fudge and nougat shop was seriously stylish. With a clean, vintage aesthetic, it felt more like a Melbourne café or recycle design store — not too cutesy at all. Besides, who can honestly say no to tastings of cookies and cream, white chocolate, and chilli chocolate fudge?

The Retro Fudge Bar
83 Harrington Street, Hobart