Four unique shops on Magill Road offer you the best hope of finding something special for that special someone who's seemingly got it all.

1. DiPALO Hair
3/163-165 Magill Road, Maylands

Phillip DiPalo is ready for summer this year. DiPalo hair has recently undergone its own transformation with a re-brand and new look overseen by Adelaide design firm Enoki.

New hair, new you. For that person in your life who constantly complains about their hair yet seems unable or unwilling to do anything about it, DiPalo Hair on Magill Road provides a solution. Phillip and his sister Rosemary own the business and wanted to bring their salon on Magill Road back to where it all started – with them. A light and breezy shop front, DiPalo have made a name for themselves in hair competitions nationally and are currently growing their business with a team of young talent. We recommend putting your Christmas shopping down for a moment and your feet up, while Phillip fixes you a new look for summer. Turning up to Christmas Day lunch with your locks looking luscious is the perfect talking point, and will help convince your friend it’s time for a change. 

2. Willie Stewart Interiors
158 Magill Road, Norwood

Willie Stewart’s story reads like something out of a movie. The interior decorator and stylist got her big break when an older couple won a million-dollar lottery and asked for her advice on kitting out their home. Willie ended up decorating their whole house, and went on to set up her own business afterward. That business is Willie Stewart interiors – and it is like a living look book. Established in an old shop front, the space has been transformed into a homely show room, where corridors and alcoves and outdoor areas speak to different design themes and give visitors a wealth of ideas to apply to the context of their own home. Golden lamps with navy shades are perfectly offset by custom-made curtains, while the attentive staff are ready and able to apply their own knowledge and experience to your individual tastes. Willie’s daughters Sarah and Lauren are also part of the business now and Sarah – a qualified interior designer – now offers an in-home decorating service for an even more comprehensive approach.

7. Rock N Rustic
187a Magill Road, Maylands

While it may be cliché to wonder what to buy for the person who has everything, we can at least guarantee you that Rock N Rustic is a completely original place to shop for the answer. From a hand-darned US Military flag, covetable plan draws decommissioned by SA Museum, to old bottles of Woodroffe’s lemonade long-since gone flat, this antiques store is filled with truly interesting relics. Be careful not to get lost in the stacks here at Rock N Rustic as you could easily spend the day discerning what purpose many of the anachronistic icons, which adorn the store’s shelves, ever served when fully functional. And this is exactly why antiques make the perfect present, as conversation erupts around the Christmas tree about what this beautiful thing could have been and may yet become in its new life with your loved one.

8. Big Star CD’s & Records
160 Magill Road, Norwood

Where would Christmas be without stockings (full of extraordinary goodies) hung by the chimney with care? And while you may struggle to fit an LP in the regular-size Christmas stocking, music of any shape or size makes an ideal gift under the tree. Going strong for 30 years, Big Star is a retail icon in Adelaide and we’re pleased to report it is bustling with customers mere moments after opening on the day CityMag calls by. New (and old) records arrive weekly, while both CDs and vinyl do a brisk trade in this cultural icon. The experience of shopping at Big Star on Magill Road is a treat in and of itself and we’ve no doubt you’ll find something here to share with your favourites.

More from the Magill Road Christmas series here and here.