Thanks to an $800 million facelift, Karrinyup shopping centre has come a long way from the centre that first opened in 1973. It has almost doubled in size, which means that if you haven’t been there recently, you will be floored by how much there is to explore and by all the thoughtful touches by the planning team.
The first thing you’ll notice when you step into the shopping centre is how expansive and light it feels. The aisles in the new areas are wider than most shopping centres and are illuminated by a flood of sunshine from the skylights in the roof.
You can’t go far without coming across a seating area for people to take a breather while their companions browse through the shops. On top of the usual parent rooms, there are completely separate (and spacious!) family toilets. The latter offer a similar set up to disabled toilets but come with both adult and child-sized facilities in the one room – so mum and dad can sneak a quick toilet break while kiddo is occupied with washing their hands at the child height sink.
Indeed, Karrinyup shopping centre seems to have prioritised making itself more family friendly in its latest reincarnation. The centre offers a creche service (up to 3 hours) near Myer on Level 1 and the spacious food court on Level 1 has a little play area for kids to burn off their energy while waiting for their food. However, the kids will go nuts for the expansive Cubby playground on the West Deck. It is a proper playground, with a giant play structure, a small water play area, bench swings, in ground trampolines and a mud kitchen to keep kids entertained.
Speaking of the West Deck, this extension is the most exciting part of the centre for foodies. In essence, it is a vast food precinct, with most outlets offering alfresco seating to make the most of Perth’s gloriously sunny weather. There is a good mix of familiar names like Little Laika, Super Tetsudo and Chocolateria San Churro and new haunts to discover such as Dandelion, Spice Market. Billy Van Creamy and Baguette Me Not.
I hesitate to call Karrinyup Shopping Centre a shopping centre as it doesn’t just offer retail and food; it is a hub with a variety of entertainment options. You’ll find Hoyts Cinemas, Holey Moley mini golf, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq and Strike Bowling on the premises. On the flip side, if you need to do a teensy bit of work before you play, Karrinyup also offers meeting rooms for hire.
With so many new amenities and facilities added to the centre, it’s no wonder Sephora and Lego both chose Karrinyup as the homes of their very first WA stores. While you won’t find Target and Kmart at Karryinup Shopping Centre, you will find a vast array of stores – from department and chain stores all the way to high end fashion options. It’s easy to wile the hours away at the new Karrinyup Shopping Centre, so take this as a warning to prep your bank accounts before you visit.
My top picks:
Sushi Gin: On first sight, Sushi Gin appears to be a typical takeaway sushi stand. However, Sushi Gin is fast gaining a reputation for their impeccable and reasonably priced omakase boxes. From otoro (fatty tuna belly) to uni (sea urchin) and wagyu beef, these boxes are the perfect indulgence when you want to go out to a fancy restaurant but also want to binge watch your favourite series on Netflix. The boxes are prepared just before your requested pick up time and the chef recommends prompt pick up to ensure maximum freshness.
John Walker Chocolatier: For a sweet hit, pop into John Walker Chocolatier. Their Karrinyup branch is just one of two retail outlets left, selling confectionery that’s made right here in Perth. Whether you’re looking for blocks of chocolate, a few tasty truffles or some other form of chocolate laced confectionery, this long-running family business offers something for every palate. I can never resist the milk chocolate coated raspberry licorice and a pair of little hands always seems to make a bag of freckle shards magically appear in my basket.
Billy Van Creamy: Established in Melbourne, the Karrinyup store is Billy Van Creamy’s first foray into WA. Their ice cream is made in store by hand with fresh ingredients and no nasties. The menu is extensive, featuring traditional dairy-based flavours and vegan options. My personal favourite is the Honeycomb ice cream – a vanilla based ice cream with honeycomb that has been caramelised just to the brink so that you get sweet with a hint of char for complexity.
Mecca Cosmetica and Sephora: Have you ever bought makeup in store only to get home and find that the shade is all wrong? The assistants at both Mecca and Sephora can help you with colour matching across various products and you can request FREE samples of your favourites. This way, you can see if the foundation you tried in store will play nice with the existing products in your arsenal. While Sephora is the exclusive retailer of hit brands Fenty Beauty and Rare Beauty, I prefer going into Mecca as they seem to have more staff on hand.
Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq: If you’re after some childhood nostalgia with a modern twist, hit up Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq. Designed to look like an old-fashioned fun fair, you’ll find the traditional favourites such as air hockey, bumper cars and whack-a-mole interspersed with the more modern gaming machines. I love that it is separate from the main building because it means I can choose when to bring my child there as opposed to being held hostage by a screeching child at the most inconvenient time (usually when I’ve got something frozen in my shopping trolley). Some other facilities that we didn’t get to explore while we were there: a bowling alley, thrillrider and laser tag! Archie Brothers also offer party packages for all ages, offering different for your next office party.
Want to find out more? Check out the Karrinyup Shopping Centre website here.
A: 200 Karrinyup Rd Karrinyup, WA 6018
P: 08 9445 1122