The Golden Age Of Suburban Shopping: Cook Shops

Posted on 28 July, 2020

Canberra’s planners had strong ideas about the importance of small suburban shops anchoring each suburb and providing a community hub as well as a place to purchase essentials.

Over the decades the fortunes of these commercial strips have often waxed and waned.

But these days, Canberra has a strong contingent of suburban shops—not only servicing their own streets, but attracting crowds from all over the city for their quirky mix of convenience stores, eateries and odd shops. We bring you five of the finest.

Cook Shops

Cook Shops embrace the local community, and the local community embraces the Shops right back.

Neighbouring the Cook Community Hub and the dog-friendly Cook Oval, the shops naturally are an extension of these meeting places—but also a destination on their own.

A newcomer in 2014, café Little Oink is now a staple in the brunch foodie scene. With the location pronounced with the presence of life-size imitation oinker Sir Bacon, the food and coffee (pouring Two Before Ten), and extensive tea list is consistently good, with regular menu refreshes.

Little Oink owner Natalie has complemented the café offering by opening bar To All My Friends right next door.

With a huge list of regularly rotating craft beers on tap and famed for its wings and pizzas, it’s a popular spot for Wednesday night trivia, after work drinks—or any time.

Of course, Cook Shops is almost synonymous with The Cook Grocer—the small supermarket which prides itself on having something for everyone, with a distinctly local Canberra flavour wherever possible. Its focus on being environmentally sustainable is welcome and innovative.

Whether planned or not, when you’re at Cook Shops you’re bound to see someone you know. A true local hub.

WANT MORE LOCAL GOODNESS? THERE’S MORE TO THIS SERIES 

• Ainslie Shops

PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Bean