Overview
Once an alleyway where literal beans were sold, the Queen Victoria Market's String Bean Alley has today reopened as a bustling shopping hub home to 26 stalls.
Making their homes in quirky and colourful shipping containers, the stalls are a combination of new and old, with 14 existing and 12 sparkly new shops. Wander through the fairy light-lit laneway on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Wednesday nights (during the Night Market) and you'll find novels at Mary Martin (a 75-year-old bookshop), vintage cameras at the just-opened Retro Mamma, 90s fashion at Miss Brown Vintage and hemp skincare at The Hemp Superstore, as well as everything form Japanese homewares to Akubras, fresh flowers and vegan and organic skincare.
Market City
The little laneway isn't short on food and drink options either, with Melbourne Cocoa's truffles and hot chocolates, Market Espresso's cheesy toasties and buttery pastries, Little League's coffee and Ronnie Z's juices, acai bowls and soups. And, if you can't find something that'll quite hit the spot, you have the rest of the market's 600 retailers just next door to explore.
The relaunch of the alley is part of the $250 million revitalisation of the newly heritage-listed market, which also includes a new $70 million community hub, replacing the current car park with a 1.5-hectare public open space and the restoration of existing structures, such as the food hall facade and sheds. You can read more about the QVM's makeover here.
String Bean Alley is now at the Queen Vic Market on Friday–Saturday 8am–3pm, Sunday 9am–4pm and Wednesday 5–10pm during Night Market events.