271-273 Rundle Street
271-273 Rundle Street, 1927. Courtesy of the State Library of South Australia
Constructed in 1901 for prominent Adelaide retailer Charles Birks, 271–273 Rundle Street was originally built as a shop and residence before becoming home to the expanding Charlick Brothers grocery business. From modest beginnings in the nearby East End Produce Market, Charlick’s grew into one of South Australia’s leading merchants, occupying the building until 1921 before relocating to its purpose-built headquarters next door.
The property was then purchased by the English, Scottish & Australian Bank, beginning a long association with banking in the East End. Its elegant Classical façade, featuring arched windows, decorative pilasters and a striking central pediment, remains largely intact and continues to make the building one of Rundle Street East’s most distinguished heritage landmarks. Today, it stands as a reminder of the precinct’s transformation from a bustling market district into Adelaide’s premier commercial and retail destination.
