retail

McDonnell & East Summer Sale 1922 catalogue. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland At the beginning of January 1922, McDonnell & East department store, situated on George Street in Brisbane's CBD, announced their annual "Summer Sale". Extensive advertisements were published in Brisbane newspapers with discounts to wide variety of merchandise - "The firm state this sale is intended to take the form of a New Year surprise to the people of Queensland - to aid them in starting 1922 economically... Included in offerings will be fashion goods for women such as blouses, skirts, robes, also underwear, sunshades, & c., plenty of fashionable millinery, too. There will be bargains in children's frocks, children's underwear, also big values in men's mercery, men's suits, men's hats, boys' suits, and boots and shoes for men, women and children.... Dress fabric values will stand out conspicuously. The firm say the bargains in furniture and furnishings were never better." (The Telegraph, January 3, 1922). Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/mcdonnell-east-summer-sale-catalo...

I believe this is the Piccadilly Arcade shop.

"WEIRDO'S
SUPERIOR
MAGIC
THE BEST IN MAGIC
WEIRDO'S
MAGIC AND
NOVELTY SHOP
24 Piccadilly Arcade
220 Pitt Street, Sydney
CATALOGUE No. 2
MAGIC AT IT'S BEST"

Weirdo's Magic and Novelty Shop. (1943). Weirdo's superior magic Retrieved May 1, 2025, from nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2841227511

That would be Mr McKechnie there behind the counter.

"SHORTAGE OF MAGICIANS FOR CHRISTMAS PARTIES
Sydney was short or magicians and conjurors this Christmas, Mr. S. McKechnie, professionally known as "Weirdo," said yesterday.
'All 'wizards' are booked out until February next year," Mr: McKechnie added. Mr. McKechnie owns the "Weirdo" Magic Trick Shop, in Piccadilly Arcade, which is the headquarters of 12 men who entertain as "wizards, conjurors, and comperes."
"Many of them have to do three or four jobs an afternoon." said Mr. Mc Kechnie. "A shortage of 'wizards' can have a serious effect on the morale of the community. "Most of our key 'wizards' are in the Army and should be released for the Christmas season."

SHORTAGE OF MAGICIANS FOR CHRISTMAS PARTIES (1944, December 14). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved May 1, 2025, from nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248075317

Blue Mountains Library, Local Studies thanks - I will update the caption. 👍

I recall the shop used to do a brisk trade to school kids for fake vomit and whoopee cushions, often as not for practical jokes in the class room!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whoopee_cushion
content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2...

Man wearing a suit and his woman in a casual elegant dress.

Meet James Stewart, our pioneering ancestor and muse. James and Alexander Stewart – lovers of adventure and the finer things in life – were the sons of a Scottish haberdasher. Their enterprising spirit brought them to Australia to open a draper’s store on Brisbane’s Queen Street in 1860. Later it would become one of the country’s first department stores. James (known as ‘Jimmy’) went on to open several more stores, including James Stewart & Co. in Rockhampton, which remains operating today. James Stewart & Co. was the first Queensland store to import international finery, such as hand-spun silks from Japan, hand-crafted knits from Scotland, bentwood furniture such as Thonet from Austria and glassware from Sweden. Jimmy’s sharp eye for design trends – combined with an innate ability to curate and source goods – kept him well ahead of his competitors until his death in 1923. The business continued to flourish and he realised his vision to construct a flagship store in 1926. With its café, fashion shows and couture garments direct from the fashion houses of Europe, it was revolutionary. The business expanded into furniture and fashion manufacturing in the early twentieth century. With 150 years of history, James Stewart & Co. remains Australia’s longest surviving family-owned department store. The James Stewart Furniture Collection draws inspiration from this visionary great, great uncle, evoking his sense of charm and employing his eye for detail. Source: www.jamesstewartfurniture.com.au/blog/2018/1/31/james-ste...