The writing is on the wall. Or in this case, the facade.
Walk along Clarendon Street in South Melbourne and it’s easy to keep your eyes at shopfront level, on the window displays, the striped verandah and the traffic. But look up and the buildings start telling their own stories. Above the verandah, faded painted lettering still spells out Mitchell McCabe, along with the words for hatter and tailor. Signs like these are often called ghost signs: old hand-painted advertising that has outlived the era it was made for.
Did you know Mitchell McCabe originally occupied both 304 and 306 to 308 Clarendon Street?
From 304 to 306–308
The independent menswear store was founded at 304 in 1901. At some point in the middle of last century, it expanded into more space at 306–308. The sign writing up on the facade still clearly shows both the name of the business and the products once sold inside, a reminder of a time when a shop’s walls doubled as its advertising.
Later, Tippings Variety Store opened at 302 and eventually took space within 304, so Mitchell McCabe pulled back to 306–308.
Two shops, one walkway
Tippings and Mitchell McCabe were separate businesses with different owners. Even so, you could walk between the two through arches inside the buildings, without ever having to step outside. It’s a small detail, but it says a lot about how these old shopping strips worked, with neighbouring traders sharing more than just a wall.
Back where it all began
Over the years, the business has come through two world wars, the Great Depression, the Spanish Flu, a string of recessions and the global financial crisis. Plenty of shops have opened and closed along Clarendon Street in that time. Mitchell McCabe kept going.
Now it has finally moved back to its birthplace at 304. More than 125 years after it first opened there, the store is once again trading under the same lettering that has watched over the street for generations.
What you’ll find inside today
The store still does what it has always done: dress the men of Melbourne. It describes its offering as heritage tailoring and considered casual wear. The racks include smart labels such as A Fish Named Fred, Ted Baker London and Cambridge, alongside casual brands like Ben Sherman, Scotch & Soda and Brax. There are also shoes, grooming products and accessories, and a womenswear range under the name Mrs McCabe Woman.
Next time you’re on Clarendon Street, take a moment to look up before you walk in. The history is written right there on the wall.
Long may it continue.
