Barkly Square Shopping Centre

Barkly Square has certainly changed a lot since it became my local about 4 years ago. Whilst it had a good range of shops, it was in truth pretty boring and in definite need of a revamp. Well, it has got it!
These days, this shopping centre is busy and vibrant. JB’s opened up a store (awesome!), Telstra, OPSM, BoM and House are all in here as well. If you are hungry, you can select from Roll’d, Schnitz, Zambrero, Po’s Kitchen and Maccas.
In addition to Coles and Woolworths, Meatwell and Pure Poultry are a fantastic addition to the centre.
Parking’s free for the first 3 hours so there’s plenty of time to explore or grab a coffee.

I was actually quite surprised with Barkly Square, it’s got some great shops,
a proper sized and well stocked supermarket, as well as a Jb hi fi, Howard’s storage world and other useful shops. There’s a very generous car park out the back that usually doesn’t require either payment or some sort of games of thrones esque show down to nab a car spot.
It’s also updated itself including new shops and tenants in recent times. No longer the bane of of some horrid and daggy 1970’s abysmally dull shopping centre that has been stuck in a time warp and has little to show in terms of progression. The only time warp you will have here is the signage on Sydney road. Other to that it’s a pretty decent shopping centre/​destination all round without having to traipse all the way into the city, or go on some epic journey to Victoria gardens. Be warned though, it can be incessantly, unpleasantly, and chokingly overcrowded, rushed and busy on the weekends. A shopping centre with the times and with all you need.

Big fan of Barkley Square. The additions of JB Hi Fi and Sushi Sushi are great and Rolld is the icing on the cake. My favourite place to do my weekly shopping on weekends

Barkly Square has everything you need — supermarkets, butchers, fresh produce shops, chemists, optometrists, take away shops, watch fixers and shoe repairer etc etc.
I love the convenience this place offers and the ample parking. It’s a clean shopping center and the new refurbishments have resulted in a funky little outdoor area to sit and eat lunch or have a coffee.

This is the place for any inner north resident to shop for daily essentials. Great community feel, easily assess by bus or car or foot or bike or tram.
Everything you need is here chemist, two optometrist, Fruit n Veg Shop, Coles, Safeway, Kmart, Bakers Delight. Butcher. Shoe repair. Two bottle-o’s, JB-​Hifi, Newsagent and more once the renovations are complete.

Free Wi-​Fi!

Barkly Square is a Brunswick institution!
Known to locals as «Sparkly Bear» this small shopping centre has the two main big supermarkets (Coles and Safeway) and a Kmart for your everyday shopping. Michailles Patisserie is good for a cheese and spinach roll or a coffee and the fruit shop and butchers are also helpful. There is also a cheap book shop down the Sydney Road end.
Its also the sort of place where you keep running into people you know — especially if you live in Brunswick or any of the surrounding suburbs. The parents room (baby change room) has recently been renovated and is as good as any now, and the parking is still free! Another thing I particularly like is the local culture of taking ones dog to Barkly Square. Every time I walk out of Barkly Square with my young children, they meet a new doggie to make friends with! Its just a nice added touch to the place!

If you live in Carlton North, Brunswick or Fitzroy North, then Barkly Square Shopping Centre is an absolute godsend if you want to shop frugally for your weekly/​big shop.
It pretty much has everything you need irrespective of what you are after. There are a few supermarkets with a Coles and a Woollies. There is also a butchers and a seafood place that often have higher quality and better value fresh meat and seafood than the supermarkets have to offer. That solves the problem where you are usually let down by supermarkets. The KMart is absolutely massive, so you can just about find everything you need. Did I mention a liquor land too? The only thing it is really missing is a Bunnings.
Nevertheless with so much parking and fairly late opening hours, this is a winner. Way cheaper than shopping at Piedemonte’s.

Oh how I love Sparkly Bear! It’s the little suburban shopping centre that has everything you need — multiple supermarkets, Kmart, grocers, butchers, a baker, pharmacy, bottle shops, a $ 2 shop and even a massage parlor.
Personally, I think Sparkly Bear is one of Melbourne’s ultimate hangover destinations — you can stuff yourself with McDonalds and then get a head massage before popping into one of Sydney Road’s many pubs for a hair of the dog. But it’s also good for doing extra big shops, preferably hangover free. As a Carlton resident, Barkly Square is the easiest place to get life’s dull essentials like buckets or shower curtains (don’t even mention the QV BigW — it’s a nightmare!).
The car park is big and not too anger-​inducing because it is easily accessed without having to deal with the Sydney Road traffic. First hour parking is free!