Used to go there a bit when I was a teen (over 30 years ago). It was very Asian and cool back then, not a worrying place to be. Some of those shops were grouse, not at all like the plastic-filled $2 shops of now, with exotic and niche goods. It was the only place you could get certain things in the west at the time. The only time I went there recently with the kids we were on the tram that goes through there and a messed up guy (drugs) got on and asked every person on the tram for money while intermittently ranting. Other people got on and off the tram who were of a similar disposition. Kids were not impressed. He then got off the tram at an intersection and I had to distract the kids from looking out the window because he weaved over to a light pole, pulled out his Richard in broad daylight and started peeing on it.
Used to go there a bit when I was a teen (over 30 years ago). It was very Asian and cool back then, not a worrying place to be. Some of those shops were grouse, not at all like the plastic-filled $2 shops of now, with exotic and niche goods. It was the only place you could get certain things in the west at the time. The only time I went there recently with the kids we were on the tram that goes through there and a messed up guy (drugs) got on and asked every person on the tram for money while intermittently ranting. Other people got on and off the tram who were of a similar disposition. Kids were not impressed. He then got off the tram at an intersection and I had to distract the kids from looking out the window because he weaved over to a light pole, pulled out his Richard in broad daylight and started peeing on it.
Yeah it somehow feels more gentrified and less safe now. Now head there for Cheaper by Miles. And there’s a slow food market in west Footscray once a month. But that’s about it https://www.slowfoodmelbourne.com.au/events/slofo-wefo-farmers-market/
Reminds me of St Kilda in the 80s.