The Thousands

Anyone who has travelled anywhere will know that we get fleeced in this country. I mean, where’s our J Crew? Our Massimo Dutti? Our Uniqlo? On that J-note, have you ever been to a hyaku-yen store, a kind of five and dime filled with incredibly useful and kawaii items that are all 100 yen?

Well, we got one! And I say that with the exact same level of enthusiasm that Miss Farrell and Daddy Warbucks sang, ‘We got Annie.’ Not that a billionaire like Mr Warbucks would ever need to visit Bourke Street’s Tokuya, because all its wares are just $3.50! That is unless they are marked with a green sticker, which means they are a bit more deluxe and $4.50.

Opened a few weeks back, Tokuya stocks what co-owner Wiryadi terms “everyday goods for the people.” Read: Aesthetically pleasing clipboards; little bottles for decanting shampoo into when you travel; an array of perfectly preppy gift wrap; kitchen sponges adorned with smiley faces; polka dot toilet seat covers; and tupperware. Oh, the tupperware!

Finally, Toku translates as worthwhile and Ya means shop. Tokuya is a place of great convenience that might just change your life, but not your bank balance.