Goods & Services: Walkens House Of Film
Photography and words by Josh Sabini. Photos shot on film purchased at, developed by, and scanned by WALKENS.
The look and feel of WALKENS House of Film, was described by two of the store's employees Is and Kit as ‘Classic, mid-century, candy shop’, but instead of being a candy shop, they’re a shop that sells and develops film, which honestly is just as fun.
When you walk into the store on Fitzroy’s main thoroughfare of Brunswick Street in Melbourne's inner north, you’re met with the sight of the beautiful wall of 35mm film, rows upon rows of it all in its colourful boxed glory. After looking around past the wall of film, it doesn't take long to realise how nice the whole store is with its extremely well curated and well presented selection of books, zines, bags, cameras, and stationery. Selling everything a film photography enthusiast could ever desire, it’s a perfect store. If you’re in Melbourne pop in and see the shop for yourself, and for those not in Melbourne you can visit their website. I caught up with Is and Kit to talk about the store where I’ve spent more money than I would ever like to know.
GOODS AND SERVICES?
We sell all things film: 35mm, 120, large format, Polaroid, Instax, Super 8 and 16mm. Cameras, developing gear, photobooks, bags and stationery, and everything else you can imagine around film photography. Our Film Lab just around the corner handles all your colour, black and white and slide film needs!
LOCAL LUNCH SPOT?
Rotation of Viet Rose Bahn Mi, A1 Bakery, Lambs (shoutout Lillian), or Nicos when we have enough coffee stamps. Alimentari or Tamago if it’s pay day, 7/11 sandwich if pay day is tomorrow. Honourable mention to Egglab.
LOCAL WATERING HOLE?
Black Cat, Marquise of Lorne or the Eveyln if we’re feeling lazy and want to chat to some backpackers. And Sir Charles looks after our coffee needs.
MOST REGULAR, REGULAR?
There are too many film heads to mention, but the ones that stick in my head are the dedicated Club Mate and Whittaker’s Coconut Slab addicts, our two edible products for sale. I don’t ask names but they know who they are, we love you all!
FAVOURITE CUSTOMER?
This captivating being who comes in eating an ice cream, does telebanking with a flip phone, and checks up if our Kodak connects are getting in that “Super 8 camera they’re building with NASA that digitally scans the film as it’s shot”. I’m thinking they know a lot more than we ever will…
MOST ANNOYING CUSTOMER QUESTION?
What’s the best film?
BEST CUSTOMER QUESTION?
What’s your favourite film?
STRANGEST THING YOU’VE SEEN ON A ROLL OF FILM?
We’ve seen some REDACTED over the years, and plenty of REDACTED - but that time there was a REDACTED all over this person and their REDACTED was just REDACTED there as if it was so normal. Anyway we can’t talk about this stuff.
BEST THING YOU’VE SEEN ON A ROLL OF FILM?
Redacted.
FURTHEST PLACE YOU’VE HAD SOMEONE SEND FILM IN FROM?
Film in, probably Darwin and remote areas across the country, though we’ve had to return negatives to Ireland, as well as Hawaii from memory.
TRANSPORTATION TO WORK?
All of the above! Some of us bike, walk or tram (if we’re always 5 minutes late, thanks PTV), Neuron Scooters before they were banned (this isn’t over) and lifts from our gracious, more responsible partners who have their drivers license.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE?
On Brunswick St for almost five years, our old shop opened in late 2019 and this current spot since 2022, but we’ve been online for nearly ten!
WHO’S YOUR FAVOURITE LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER?
There are so many amazing photographers in this city, and we’re lucky to be the ones to bring so many of their amazing images to life at the lab. It might sound corny but our favourite photographer is the person reading this, you’ve just picked up an old camera that was gathering dust in your parent’s study, you’ve grabbed a roll of Kodak Gold and you’re shooting some precious memories, immortalised on celluloid!
LOCAL BUSINESSES TO CHECK OUT?
Is: The op shops around here are pretty good if you’re in the mood to hunt for a treat, The Brunswick Street Bookstore to treat someone else, or Good Daze Canteen for a lil sweet treat
Kit: Papirica and Sonido for weekend brunch. The Searchers Records, best record store in town
MOST INTERESTING PERSON TO EVER POP IN?
Dylan Moran, the day before we first opened, he forced his way in. We love spotting touring DJs when they’re in town, shout out Ben UFO, Sherelle, Roza Terenzi, Loefah, CC:DISCO! We’re not immune to celeb aura either, some people have got heart racing too but out of respect for their privacy we won’t name them cough*(joejonasoliviarodrigo)*.
FAVOURITE SONG TO GET YOU HYPED TO SELL FILM?
Lucky for us the film practically sells itself, so we prefer to enter a zen state usually via the NTS Early Bird Show w/ PAM or Jack Rollo, and shows by Olive Kimoto or Marco Weibel.
LOOK AND FEEL OF THE STORE IN THREE WORDS?
Classic, mid-century shop.
PETS OR MASCOTS?
We don’t have a shop pet, but we really should start a WALKENS House of Dogs IG as we are super dog friendly! Love those guys. We’ve only had one accident in-store and it was mopped up very swiftly.
ANYONE NOT ALLOWED IN THE STORE?
Dylan Moran and the group of Spanish tourists that shoplifted last year, we won’t forget them!
DREAM DESTINATION FOR A STORE?
Is: Somewhere in HK/Japan where we could merge with all the old cameras and gear.
Kit: The only answer is Brunswick St, Fitzroy, but otherwise I’ve always dreamed of running a bare bones operation in somewhere like Ho Chi Minh City.
FAVOURITE STORY FROM WORKING IN THE STORE?
Is: Often people come in with hundreds of old slides, we got to see bridal fashion through each decade of the 1900s through someone’s personal collection of attending weddings, it was so epically stunning.
Kit: AFL legend Brian Taylor aka BT once knocked on our door at the old shop at about 8:30am, hours before we opened, in desperate need of some LR44 batteries. I happily obliged, and regret not taking a Polaroid photo together to this day. Or the Dylan Moran irony, he was literally our first shop customer. He let himself in whilst we were closed and demanded we sell him film. Hannah was busy reading a book at the time. True story!