18 Things You'll Find In Every Aussie Shopping Centre

    Just try and find me a shopping centre without a weird cafe plonked in the middle of the walkway.

    Jemima Skelley
    by Jemima Skelley

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    1. A newsagent that's trying to become a gift shop.

    Westfield / Creative Commons / Via westfield.com.au

    Print media is dying and oh don't they know it. Most of these revamped newsagents have a carousel of ~funky socks~ and an obscenely large card selection.

    2. A home decor-slash-variety store.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    It's a step above a $2 store, where you can get cheap plastic toys, fake plants, Buddha statues, gift bags, printed canvases of elephants in flower crowns and everything in between.

    3. A Sushi Hub.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    It's by no means world-class sushi but damn, a Sushi Hub will never let you down.

    4. A Coffee Club or another chain coffee store that sells mediocre coffee and is always full of seniors.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    There's nothing like enjoying a meal at a Coffee Club with nan on a Wednesday at 11 a.m. And their paninis are pretty good, to be fair.

    5. A random mobile phone kiosk.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    With hundreds of phone cases for sale — usually in the classic folding-wallet style, that's so in-demand with mums.

    6. A cigarette shop.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    It's now leaning into vapes and weird gift products, but still calls itself a smoke shop.

    7. A stall in the middle of the walkway selling random plastic crap.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    You don't ever need any of it but like, maybe I do need that rainbow fidget toy and the USB mini fan.

    8. Sussan or Millers or Katies or Noni B.

    Westfield / Creative Commons / Via westfield.com.au

    Or all of the above. Different stores, but the same vibe. Its where middle-aged women can get sensible slacks, jewel-coloured sweaters and accent scarves.

    9. Jay Jays.

    Erina Fair / Creative Commons / Via erinafair.com.au

    Every suburban shopping centre still has a Jay Jays or a Just Jeans, prove me wrong.

    10. A health store that's usually always empty.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    They sell a ton of vitamins, glowing salt lamps and blocks of chocolate that cost $10.

    11. EB Games.

    Patrick Laverick @PatrickLaverick

    Are EB Games having a sale? I can't tell...

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    These guys are everywhere, and every parent loves to make the same "Hmm, I wonder if they're having a sale???" joke.

    12. At least one shoe repair place.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    Selling keys decorated with local sports team colours.

    13. A random cafe in the middle of the shops.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    They usually have suspiciously good quiches and sausage rolls, though you're not sure how long they've been sitting in there.

    14. And cafe seating just plonked in the middle of the corridor.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    No vibes at all.

    15. A Muffin Break.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    Is it even a suburban mall without a Muffin Break?

    16. A sunglasses stand.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    They always have big Ray-Ban signs, but 99% of what they sell is $19.99 frames.

    17. A ~coastal vibes~ store for trendy mums.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    We're talking paisley dresses, straw hats and timber homewares. It always looks so out of place, but the mums love it.

    18. And finally, a strange kids' ride that you wonder if anyone actually uses.

    Jemima Skelley / BuzzFeed

    Is it worth paying $2 just so your kid can bounce up and down for 60 seconds? Maybe.