Imprints Booksellers
| Industry | Retail (Bookselling) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Graham Miller, Gayle Miller, Patricia Sykes |
| Headquarters | Adelaide , Australia |
| Products | Books |
Hindley Street is situated in the north-western sector of the Adelaide city centre, within Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It extends from King William Street to West Terrace. The street’s name honors Charles Hindley, a British parliamentarian and advocate for social reform.
As one of Adelaide’s earliest thoroughfares, Hindley Street carries considerable historical importance. It was the site of the inaugural meeting of the Adelaide City Council, Australia's longest-standing municipal institution, held in November 1840. Additionally, the street was home to South Australia’s first stone church, hosted the colony's initial film screening, and featured its first cinema. The West End Brewery operated on this street from 1859 until 1980.
Traditionally recognized for its lively nightlife and somewhat notorious reputation, Hindley Street has transformed in the 21st century into a sophisticated precinct within the West End.
19th century
Named after British politician Charles Hindley, who served as a director of both the South Australian Company and the Union Bank of Australia, yet never visited South Australia, Hindley Street emerged shortly after the colony’s establishment in 1836. It rapidly developed into a vital hub for commerce and urban growth. Among its early inhabitants was independent minister Thomas Playford I, who acquired land there in 1837 and settled by 1844. Initially, the street was considered a desirable residential district.
In 1837, the first South Australian newspaper, the South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register, was published on Hindley Street. For many years, it functioned as Adelaide’s commercial and financial nucleus, benefiting from its closeness to immigration access points at Port Adelaide. However, social concerns related to alcohol trading along the street began to emerge.
The first assembly of the Adelaide City Council, Australia's oldest local government body, took place on Hindley Street in 1840. The street also hosted South Australia’s earliest stone church. The inauguration of the Port Dock railway station in 1856 redirected traffic flows away from Hindley Street, contributing to urban expansion toward Adelaide’s eastern districts.
In 1855, during political unrest linked to the colony’s transition toward self-government, election-related disturbances occurred on Hindley Street. A significant enterprise founded in 1859 was the West End Brewery, which later became part of the South Australian Brewing, Malting, Wine and Spirit Company in 1888.
Leopold Conrad established a butcher shop at numbers 88-90 Hindley Street in 1863; by 1899 this business had grown substantially. Following Conrad’s passing in 1918, ownership transferred to W. H. Bruce, who expanded operations into other prominent Adelaide marketplaces.
The street also featured the notable Theatre Royal, Adelaide, designed by Melbourne architect George R. Johnson and opened in 1878. It was the venue for South Australia’s first public moving picture exhibition in 1896 before being demolished in 1962 to make way for commercial redevelopment.
By the 1880s, Hindley Street had become home to eighteen hotels and developed into a fashion center with numerous drapers, tailors, bootmakers, and women’s clothing retailers. The Grand Coffee Palace, constructed in 1891 and rebuilt as the Plaza Hotel in 1907, epitomized "coffee palaces"—family-oriented hotels without liquor licenses—reflecting temperance movement ideals.
20th century
At the dawn of the 20th century, numerous small-scale retail stores shuttered as larger enterprises such as Hoopers Furnishing Arcade, Federal Furnishing, and WT Flint & Son established a presence.
Constructed in 1903 at 104–120 Hindley Street, the Austral Stores complex comprised a dozen shops, a sizable warehouse, and residential quarters. Designed by architect Albert Selmar Conrad, this building was recognized in 1983 on the South Australian Heritage Register for its outstanding Edwardian free style façade. Initially becoming Grant's Coffee Palace in 1908 and later known as West's Coffee Palace, the structure still stands today. Since 2002, it has housed The Apothecary 1878 wine bar and restaurant, which was rebranded as APOTECA Bar & Restaurant in 2019. Notably, it preserves antique pharmacy cabinets that predate the building itself. Part of the premises is also occupied by Youth Inc.
In December 1908, Adelaide witnessed the opening of its first permanent picture theatre, West's Olympia, located at 91 Hindley Street in a former roller-skating rink that had originally served as a cyclorama and ice rink. During the silent film era, it featured tiered seating accommodating up to 3,000 guests. The original structure was demolished in 1938 to make way for the Art Deco West's Theatre, which operated until 1977. Following various commercial uses, the venue became home to the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Grainger Studio in 2001, a function it continues to serve as of 2025.
By the 1910s, Hindley Street experienced a downturn; instances of public drunkenness were reported as early as 1911. The introduction of six o’clock closing laws led to a reduction in hotel operations, while cafes and tea rooms such as Theatre Royal Café and Comino Café grew in popularity.
The early 1910s also saw a concentration of cinemas around Hindley Street. In July 1912, the Greater Wondergraph Company erected the Wondergraph picture theatre at number 27. Designed by architects Garlick & Jackman, it officially opened on 5 September 1913 to positive reception. This venue was later refurbished into the Civic Theatre in 1932, sold to S.A. Theatres in 1939, and acquired by Greater Union in 1947. The Civic Theatre was ultimately demolished in 1957 to facilitate construction of the State Theatre, which ceased operations in May 1977.
The Metro Theatre—an early cinema exemplifying Art Deco design by Thomas W. Lamb alongside local architect F. Kenneth Milne—opened on 6 October 1939 at the corner of Victoria Street. Equipped with air conditioning and seating for 1,286 across stalls and dress circle levels, it remained active until its closure in 1972. In 1975, it was redeveloped into a four-screen Greater Union complex named Hindley Cinemas (screens 1–4) and hosted the world premiere of Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975). The cinema closed permanently in 1991 and was demolished in 2005; today an apartment complex with a KFC outlet occupies this site.
Throughout the 1960s, cinemas flourished; notably, the My Fair Lady Theatre was constructed specifically for the film’s release in 1966. Additionally, British Empire Films and RKO Radio Pictures maintained offices along Hindley Street.
Between the 1970s and the 1990s, Hindley Street evolved into Adelaide’s central nightlife district offering an array of venues including coffee lounges, eateries, pubs, skating rinks, late-night pharmacies, theatres, cinemas, alternative bookstores, and retail shops. However, it also gained notoriety for its seedy character as a red light district featuring cabarets, strip clubs, and nightclubs.
In 1982, West End Brewery moved its operations to Thebarton and subsequently demolished its original facility.
21st century
During the early 2000s, Hindley Street experienced a downturn marked by numerous shop closures and a noticeable drop in daytime visitors. Concerns over late-night violence linked to alcohol consumption led the Adelaide City Council to enforce a 3am lockout policy, mandating that nightclubs and other venues deny entry after this time.
Location and description
Hindley Street lies within the north-western section of the centre of Adelaide, extending from King William Street to West Terrace.
Connecting Hindley and Currie Streets are two pedestrian-friendly lanes—Leigh Street and Peel Street—celebrated for their historical relevance as well as their concentration of dining establishments, bars, and specialty retail outlets.
In the 21st century, Hindley Street has seen significant revitalization driven by urban renewal initiatives, the expansion of UniSA's City West campus, and the arrival of new enterprises. These developments have integrated the street into Adelaide’s West End precinct.
The local council promotes a heritage walk featuring a guide that emphasizes the street’s rich historical significance.
Imprints Booksellers
Established in 1984 at no. 80 Hindley Street by Graham Miller, Gayle Miller, and Patricia Sykes, Imprints Booksellers later counted Greg Mackie among its co-owners; Mackie had initially been employed there as a student. He held the roles of director and co-proprietor until 2003. The bookstore moved to no. 107 Hindley Street in 1999, aligning with the area's emergence as an arts hub, which included the Adelaide Festival offices located above.
In 2007, long-term employees Jason Lake and Katherine Woehlert acquired Imprints from Mackie and Miller. The store encountered significant obstacles during the 2008 global financial crisis along with competition from online retailers such as Amazon and large-scale bookstores like Borders in Rundle Mall (which closed in 2011).
From 2011 onward, Imprints managed the book tent for Adelaide Writers' Week for ten years under the leadership of Laura Kroetsch and Jo Dyer. In 2015, South Australia Police conducted a raid on the store due to sales of unwrapped copies of Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho, which is classified R18+ and requires sealed packaging for adult purchasers.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a decline in retail activity within Adelaide’s CBD starting mid-2020. In December 2021, co-owner Woehlert was diagnosed with breast cancer while preparing for Writers Week 2022. Confronted with health issues and operational difficulties, the owners decided to put Imprints up for sale in February 2024. The bookstore is well-regarded for its knowledgeable staff and dedicated customer base, including author Walter Marsh, who wrote Young Rupert, a biography detailing media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's early years.
Hindley Street Music Hall
Opened in August 2022, Hindley Street Music Hall is a prominent live music venue created after Live Nation Australia purchased the former HQ nightclub site and constructed a custom-designed two-level space tailored for live performances.
Architecture and art
Among Hindley Street’s architectural highlights is the Mayfair Hotel, a five-star establishment originally constructed as the Colonial Mutual Life building in 1934. Premier Richard Layton Butler once described it as "a monument to future confidence." Built within nine months during the challenging period of the Great Depression, it provided employment opportunities locally and remained Adelaide’s tallest building for approximately three decades. The building also hosted South Australia’s first commercial radio station, Radio 5DN, before being transformed into the Mayfair Hotel in 2014.
A bronze sculpture of vaudeville comedian Roy Rene, crafted by artist Robert Hannaford, stands prominently on Hindley Street.
In popular culture
The street of Hindley Street has inspired the Australian group Powderfinger to compose the song "Hindley Street" featured on their album Internationalist. Additionally, it is mentioned in Redgum's 1978 track "Carrington Cabaret" from their album If You Don't Fight You Lose.
In the 2023 motion picture Emotion Is Dead, directed by Pete Williams, Hindley Street is prominently showcased.
The name of the Australian tribute band Hindley Street Country Club is derived from the lively live music atmosphere that characterized the area from the 1970s through the 1990s.