There’s more than food, fashion and retail therapy on offer in Rundle Street and Rundle Mall during SA History Week.

Take a walk down this vibrant retail precinct and discover the history behind the shop windows.

Grab a map from the Visitor Information Centre at the King William Street end of the Mall or by clicking here.

Did you know?

• Surveyor-General Colonel William Light envisaged Victoria Square as the retail centre of Adelaide, but shopkeepers favoured Hindley and Rundle Streets. Though narrower, these streets were closer to residential North Adelaide, the road to the Port and fresh water from the River Torrens.
• Rundle Street was named after John Rundle, a director of the South Australian Company which established the province in 1836 in a joint venture with the British Government. Rundle never came to South Australia, but owned the original ‘Beehive Corner’.
• Shops have changed. Over a century ago, there were cabinet makers, saddlers, coach builders, a billiard maker, tin smith, upholsterer, pianoforte maker, ginger-beer brewer, maker of picture frames, coppersmith who manufactured stills, straw-bonnet maker, portmanteau (suitcase) manufacturer and an umbrella maker. There were 11 hotels.
• The street has gone from dirt to tarmac and seen a passing parade of coaches, horse buses, horse trams, electric trolley buses, motorised buses and private cars.
• Rundle Street became so crowded, with cars, buses and pedestrians jostling for space, that in September 1976 the Dunstan Government created Rundle Mall. The Rundle Mall fountain flowed with champagne on opening day!

Do you remember?

• Department stores, such as Birks, Cravens, John Martin’s, Foy and Gibson
• Specialty shops, such as Lawrence’s for tobacco; Balfour’s for cakes and pies; Ezywalkin for shoes, Hambly Clark for guns, and Gladys Sym Choon’s China Gift Store. 

Rundle Street looking east from Beehive Corner c1920s GN08120A

Rundle Street looking west 1937 GN04316

F C Catt stores Rundle Street Adelaide 1917 GN01812