There was a Russian shop I used to visit in my younger days that sold electronics and Model Cars that I used to like to browse through in the 80s. I am just wondering if any of you guys might know of it and if it still is in existence.
It was before the fall of the Berlin Wall and was a bit propagandist. I bought a stereo tuner from them but found the connections a bit strange so I decided to hardwire some speakers in to it's cabinet.
Anyway I'm in Sydney this weekend and maybe doing a bit of reminiscing.

Well tomorrow I get on the bus to Sydney and hopefully will enjoy 2x days reminiscing about my past visits and how I loved doing the circuit of George Street and Pitt Street. My wife has plans on visiting the Gucci and Louie Vuitton store ( if there is one ) . I remember plainly the Strand Arcade and the Strand Electronics store ( which has now moved to Richmond ) plus all the real disposal stores that my father and I used to browse through but alas I think they may be all gone now.

Well my memory is still good. I managed to identify one of the old Knock and Kirby stores today. Its now a Mitre 10. So far I have taken 15000 steps lol.

One thing that truly amazes me is my memory for these buildings. Yes I found the Russian shop but alas it is now just a run of the mill shoe shop . We walked and walked and walked and boy I am sore .

Yes I found the Russian shop

What's the address?

Never looked for the street number but I believe it was on the corner 1 or 2 blocks down from the Queen Victoria building on the opposite side on the right.

1 block down from the Queen Victoria building on the opposite side on the right.

Which way are you facing when you say 'down from'? North, east, south or west?

The only electronic parts and equipment retailer I recall being close to QVB and Town Hall was Martin deLaunay, on the corner of Clarence St and Druitt St.

Down is always south

Down is always south

On maps, yes, but if someone says 'down the road' that can be in any compass direction.

One block down is just the intersection with St Andrews Cathedral, Kentucky Fried, HSBC Building and Ausgrid's head office.

Yes Brad it was in that area! It may have been two blocks down ( south ) definitely on the corner and it was a Russian Shop dealing in Russian products such as radios, hifi, Model cars , books etc. The name of the shop was themed as propaganda but the exact wording I can't remember as it was 40 years ago.
As I was walking along the street all the old shops I remember like Knock and Kirby were still recognisable but not the same name of cause. I was surprised to see that Mick Simmons Sports Stores were still in existence under the original name.
Alas most of the army surplus stores of old are no longer in existence!
Just remember I have a photographic memory which means the way I remember things is different but permanent. Names are hard for me to remember but things I see are fairly easy.

What did really hit me was the way George Street is now basically tram and ebike friendly and Pitt Street for cyclists as well. To me as a visitor it made a lot of sense. Having to drive through that area would be increasingly annoying I suppose but in reality if everyone had a car can you imagine the chaos.

I worked in Sydney CBD from 1972 to 1991. I don't recall any 'Russian shop' around that Bathurst St intersection, but I do well recall Nock and Kirby in George St across Market St from the QVB.

If you look at the awning over the entrance, you'll see N&K:

https://tinyurl.com/fmyd54u9

I have fond memories of watching Joe "Bring your money with you" Sandow (aka The Gadget Man) flogging merchandise to shoppers in that store. He even once convinced me to buy some rub-on mirror demister which he was demonstrating with the aid a steaming kettle.

(I have a distant memory of seeing Joe selling off the back of a truck at a Night Fair at Gosford when I was very young.)

If I needed hardware I would normally have gone to Paul's Hardware which was one of the retail stores at street level in the QVB. They had a far better range of tools than N&K, and were usually cheaper.

The next block down has two pubs, a bank and World Square. I note the vastly different age of the slides on that Street View. Some show the current look with the trams, others show the light rail corridor under construction and others show George Street back when it was just a peak hour car park for hundreds of buses.

I'd hate George Street to go back to that. I was a part of it every day back when I worked in Nth Sydney. Much of the time it was quicker for me to walk from Circular Quay to Druitt Street than get the bus that far.

Yes GTC I remember Joe the Gadget man quite well as my dad and I used to just stand in the crowd and enjoy Just watching.