In search of the perfect scotch decanter...my journey to Paddington Antique Centre

In search of the perfect scotch decanter...my journey to Paddington Antique Centre

I know this place isn’t new. I know everyone has written about this place, visited it, bought things from here, taken their mums here, …yadda yadda yadda.

But I haven’t, so it’s new to me and that’s what this whole blog is all about. 

This place is amazing. Located in the former Plaza Theatre at Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, it has 50 separate dealers who all have their own sections, or shops as they call it, scattered around the large centre.

It used to be the old Plaza Theatre, built in late 20s, which was one of only two atmospheric theatres in Australia.

When it first opened, it was part of the short lived picture palace movie theatre phenomenon. In the early 1960s, it ceased to operate as a cinema and a level floor was installed and the building was used for indoor basketball. Don’t like this part of the story (ewww) so will rush through quickly….ahhh here we are then in 1985 it opened as an antique centre.

It’s packed and you will need a lot of time…I mean a lot of time to see everything. There is some rhyme and reason in their theming and order, but not much, and to be honest it’s that organised chaos that brings a little something extra to the experience.

It’s got everything from vintage and retro clothing, old furniture, new furniture done up to look old, military stuff, china, glass and silver, old jewellery, furniture and old records…I haven’t even begin to really get into the list of stuff it has.

Like any antique shop at present, there is some crap that really shouldn’t be in an antique or vintage arena, but there is a lot of little wonders to make it worthwhile.

My favourite was the lamp section and the retro glass cabinet sections.

It’s here that I finally found the perfect vintage glass scotch decanter that I’ve been searching for years. Now I just need the perfect tumblers...

And yes, they also have a quaint little café inside too…which looked cool.

SCORE - finally found the right decanter

Please note I have stolen (I mean borrowed) quite a lot of these photos from Paddignton Antique Centre and mingled with some of my own so you think I’m a really cool photographer when really I just got distracted with all the cool and pretty things as I walked around.