Stores in Sydney’s inner west and Melbourne’s inner north are experiencing a shortage of essentials including vintage suitcases, ukuleles and VHS tapes, as panic buying continues across the country.
In one store in Fitzroy the pennyfarthing aisle had been shopped bare. “It’s been pretty crazy here to be honest,” store owner Herbert Ingles said. “We’re totally out of ironic tote bags and we’re even running low on gramophones now. It’s ridiculous,” he said.
He said his store had done 7 week’s worth of small-batch boutique bourbon kit sales in just one day.
“My message to everyone is to just be calm – there are enough hand-crafted leather aprons for everyone”.
Archibald Reece, a storeowner in Marrickville, said they wouldn’t have more Casio calculator watches in stock for at least 14 days. His store has implemented a limit of one cassette tape per customer policy until further notice. “All I’d say is, think about those vulnerable people in your community who need a bespoke cobbler tool set more than you do”.
