Glenferrie Road is lined with historic shop frontages from the Edwardian era. While some have undergone refurbishments, many of the original facades still remain – imparting the precinct with a unique heritage charm and cultural significance.
Running parallel to the train line, the quaint Railway Arcade is flanked by a row of Edwardian shop frontages complete with their original stain glass windows and old-fashioned pillars.
Many of Hawthorn’s buildings are heritage-listed in order to preserve the fascinating architectural character synonymous with the inner-east. One of the most striking examples is the town hall, home to the Hawthorn Arts Centre, which was designed by John Beswicke in 1888 in the Second Empire style.
On the other side of the train line, Don Arcade was formerly home to the Don Department Store of Don Cash Trading Co. Designed by architects Ward and Carleton in 1910, at the time, it was said to have been the largest undivided space in the Commonwealth. Today, some of the elegant original window joinery remains.