I recently took a stroll around lower Queen Street and the ‘old downtown precinct’ of Auckland which has now come alive connecting Britomart, Queens Arcade, Lower Queen street and the new Commercial Bay, all in close proximity.
Queens Arcade est 1929 offers a charming shopping experience. I visited two wonderful services Mobile Medic to replace my mobile battery, dropped a new dress into the lovely Tony & Susan for their alterations expertise and purchased beautiful jewellery and gifts from Inspired on the lower level. There are over 30 independent retailers in this quaint arcade so you could drift along in there for quite some time, all whilst admiring the Georgian period facades, pillars and balustrades. Enjoy lunch on the deck of Neo with views over bustling lower Queen Street, grab a coffee-to-go from Mojo, sweet treats from Devonport Chocolates or pick up your favourite music from Marbecks. Plus there’s a range of food, fashion, jewellery, craft and shoe retailers along with a wonderful kitchen accessories shop. There’s an impressive range of services handy to anyone visiting and working in the area from shoe repairs, clothing alterations, Swiss watch repairs, florist, optometrists, massage & reflexology, salon, barbers and clothing alterations/dry cleaners. Check out what Queens Arcade has to offer at www.queensarcade.co.nz
I left Auckland city feeling pretty impressed at what’s been achieved; architecturally-led retail with impressive shopping and eating districts! It all seemed to flow quite well and it’s within easy strolling distance from the viaduct, Americas Cup Village and Wynyard Quarter!