Hardware Lane is a place of change. Whether thats staff, new owners, new restaurants or new rules. However, we can’t escape the fact its a fun place to work. Everyone knows each others business which at times can be a pain in the ass, but mostly it brings people together. Its lively, a great place to chat with people and just generally a cool place to be. Look up at the historic buildings and the quirky signs, that’ll be enough for you. Sheltered from the main City, Hardware Lane its own territory. I use to love working down Hardware Lane. I was a host, a spruiker, a street hawker or a promoter. Whatever the name, I enjoyed it like most people do.

You may have visited here recently, but for us workers (and ex workers) it’s a place in Melbourne that will we’ll always feel some sort of attachment too. Everyone knows your name and there is always something going on.

• The street just got bigger, with three more restaurants being added Lonsdale street side. Meaning your boss is going to be harder on you because competition is fierce!
• That the Mill now sucks, as there are not flurries of hot women who work there. Although the concentration skills will now improve.
• Charlies Bar attracts the weirdest of bar men.
• That Vons Restaurant is getting cheaper, and a little bit more desperate too.
• Nostro Postro’s lunch specials seem to be on all the time. And its so cheap!
• Max’s has had a facelift and its the best looking place on the street.
• Amigo’s cocktails have gone down hill, yet the prices haven’t.
• You now have no idea where Mahoneys Framing is.
• You ever wonder if the Thai place will ever fill up just once. It actually does good food!
• That it’s basically a mans world at Grill Steak Seafood.
• And that the size of it is now nearly a country mile. Feeding the five thousand!
• That scumbags who attempt to steal from restaurants will get you into trouble, in more than one way such as bruises and cops. Not cool.
• Kirks Wine Bar is now pretty savvy, but everyone gets lost finding it despite it being on the corner. And it doesn’t need a host!
• That even the smallest of mess will shut down an entire street of businesses. Who’s complaining?!
• French. There will always be the French here.
• Apart from the Mill, menu boards actually withstand a bit of laneway wind turbulence.
• That no-one still knows where Hardware Societe is. Even though we live in a world with Google Maps.
• The normally 2pm on-the-dot bottle emptying bin men actually come later after lunch has finished.
• That some people just never leave the lane. And some people always come back…
• Danny at Max’s is still there and getting older..
• Sam at Grill Steak Seafood is STILL the KING
• Old staff come back to the Lane, even if they do keep getting sacked…
• The bird shit opposite Nostro Postro never gets tidied up
• There’s always a girl who makes her way through all the guy workers on the lane
• Appster are the Laneways favourite customer
• If a hot girl walks past, everyone stops. Some things never change.