3.2 Commercial Frankston

Today Frankston is one of the most important suburban retailing centres in Melbourne.1 Yet this commercial centre is a recent creation. For much of its history the shopping precinct of Frankston was small and localised; only over the last thirty years have the concentration of outlets changed the character of central Frankston. While at first glance many of these new retail centres seem little different from standard commercial buildings anywhere in the Western world, within the history of Victoria several important innovations in the retail trade were launched in Frankston. These required new forms of building and novel arrangements of the space given over to sales.

THE NINETEENTH CENTURY TRADERS

FRANKSTON TRADING 1900-1945

HOTELS

AMERICAN-STYLE SHOPPING

LANGWARRIN VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTRE

CARRUM DOWNS REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTRE