“Over 2 years I worked on the Chapel St Book as part of an initiative for the Chapel St Precinct, covering many local businesses that have shaped Chapel St for decades.”

As the photographer behind this project, I set out to capture more than just images, I wanted to document the soul of one of Melbourne’s most iconic strips. From the colourful storefronts of Prahran to the buzzing nightlife of Windsor and the timeless charm of South Yarra, my lens followed the people and places that make Chapel Street so distinctive.

Working alongside the Chapel Street Precinct Association (CSPA), I had the privilege of photographing the traders who embody the street’s resilience and creativity. The CSPA has long been the backbone of this community, an advocate, connector, and champion for the businesses that fuel Chapel Street’s reputation as Melbourne’s cultural and commercial heart.

The Chapel Street Book became both a tribute and a time capsule: boutique retailers, celebrated dining rooms, innovative start-ups, and cultural institutions, all woven together through portraits and street scenes that tell a story of unity and endurance.

Unfortunately, despite the years of work invested, the project was never fully completed. Only a single copy of the book was ever produced, a rare artefact of a vision that didn’t reach the finish line. Yet, in that one book lives a record of a community’s spirit, resilience, and identity, seen through my lens.

Though the publication never went into circulation, the images continue to serve as a powerful reminder of what makes Chapel Street more than just a strip of shops, it is the beating heart of Melbourne’s cultural identity.

Arthur Galan

Fashion is famous for moving in cycles, and for Arthur Galan, his brand has circled back to its original 90s roots. Opening their first store on Chapel Street in 1998, the boutique was created to complement the workroom around the corner on Wilson Street, where the majority of their collection was created. “We opened the store to even out the peaks and toughs of the seasonal cycles of our manufacturing business, where we produced womenswear for many high-end Australian Designers,” says Galan.

“There was traditionally one month per season where all the production was finished and we had about four weeks down time before we started the next collection. So I thought I would open a boutique menswear store and produce exclusively for that in those two months, which would complement and not conflict with the womenswear we manufactured.

“And so the Arthur Galan AG brand was born.”

The Chapel Street store’s success saw AG boutiques open across the country over the next 17 years, producing their own womenswear collection alongside the menswear. However, 2015 saw the brand go back to where it all started, scaling back to just the South Yarra boutique, focussing solely on menswear head to toe, from sneakers to tuxedos.

Gallan has also seen the many cycles of Chapel Street and is happy to see it returning to its own roots. “I moved into the area 25 years ago and it’s become home on so many levels. I love the boutique stores that are moving back into the street, and I love the exceptional food Chapel Street and its surroundings has to offer.

“Generally the area has a great feeling once again!”

Caffe e Cucina

Opening its doors in 1988, Caffe e Cucina has survived all of Chapel Street’s ups and downs and is still one of the precinct’s most beloved restaurants. 35 years on, it still has the same warm, welcoming atmosphere, the thick accents and the genuine flavours that are perfectly blended, casting a spell that transports you straight to Italy.

With the vision of recreating the great cafes that line the streets of Milano, Bologna, Firenze and Roma, the small space is both bustling and intimate, the common greeting is ciao bella, the walls are lined with classic Italian prints and, really, Caffe e Cucina couldn’t feel any more like the real thing. “We’ve always stayed true to our authentic Italian ‘Produzione Artigianale’ experience,” says owner Arthur Georgiou. “Custom-ers have continued to flock through our doors, lured by the melt-in-your-mouth cuisine, combined with the knowledgeable and professional Caffe e Cucina Staff.”

You will find all your regional favourites across the traditional three course menu, including mouth- watering Burrata, Tagliatelle al Ragù, Vitello alla Milanese and more. And no Italian feast would be complete without a traditional tiramisu or honey and vanilla panna cotta that will have you practically rolling down Chapel Street. The bar is well-stocked and the wine list is long – just how the Italians like it.

In the warmer months, Caffe e Cucina favours alfresco dining, with a glass of wine in one hand and a wedge of the finest Parmigiano Reggiano in the other. For the family of Caffe e Cucina, Chapel Street is the iconic Melbourne destination, with an unmissable vibe and atmosphere from morning to night. “There is some-thing for everyone to enjoy on Chapel Street, with its constantly evolving new exciting projects, and we look for-ward to being part of it for the years ahead.”

CASH FOR ANYTHING

Established in Chapel Street 1978 after relocating from Russell Street Melbourne, second-hand dealer and pawn-broker, Cash For Anything, is not only an icon of the strip, but has managed to also adapt as ways of living and shopping have changed. “We have maintained the old world feel of the shop to encourage the treasure hunters,” says founder Arno. “We also run an online eBay business to keep up with the current trend.”

The store is well known for its eclectic collection of second hand goods including jewellery, antiques, guitars and other musical instruments and electrical items; you can find practically anything! Arno has also borne witness to the evolution of Chapel Street, long before ever creat-ing a space for themselves. “Over the years I have seen many characters come and go in Chapel Street, firstly as a young boy hardly seeing over the counter tops, to now watching the day time street turn into the night time strip; a distinct change around 5pm! May Chapel Street continue to serve Melbourne as a hub for shopping and nightlife into the future.”

CHAPEL STREET BAZAAR

A controversy and a revelation, the Chapel Street Bazaar has been a boundary pusher ever since it first opened its doors in 1984. Originally located on Greville Street, the Bazaar, as it is affectionately known, was the brainchild of Carol & Gordon McKee, and was a totally new retail concept. “At the time there was nothing in retail between dusty second hand shops and highly polished and somewhat intimi-dating antiques shops except outdoor markets on the weekend,” says current owner Jonine Versace. So the pair decided to bring the concept of the outdoor market indoors. Carol was told by many dealers that this idea would not work. But it was a smashing success and the model of this business has been copied all over Australia, the UK and the USA. To help keep costs down, and still allow the dealers time to collect and restore stock, a roster was drawn up for stall holders to do work at the store for four hours a week as part of their month to month tenancy agreement. Not only did the model reduce overheads because paid labour was kept to a minimum, the pub-lic benefitted from the dealers being present and informing and educating them regarding the antiques, collectables and memorabilia that was being sold at the Bazaar .

The Bazaar moved to its current home at 217-223 Chapel Street in 1988, where it officially became the Chapel Street Bazaar, and has been continuously expanding and evolving ever since. “Chapel Street Bazaar will always be an Aladdin’s cave of curiosities and treasures. We will cele-brate our 40th birthday next year in April 2024, and some of the original dealers from 1984 are still trading with us!”