And just like that, in what feels like a blink of an eye, we’ve entered our final month of 2024. Whilst the time has flown by, Aussies near and far have certainly made the most of the last eleven months.

Internationally, Australia cleaned up at the Paris Olympics, taking home 18 gold medals, whilst the ParaMatildas made history as the first Australia side to win a football World Cup. The nation’s prowess also shone in the arts, with home grown hero Bluey becoming the most watched television series in the United States and First Nations artist Archie Moore being awarded the coveted Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

But it’s not just those overseas that had all the fun. A little closer to home, the year has been equally as exciting. For the last edition of the James St Journal for 2024, we’re looking back on the new residents, late-night parties and palatial potlucks that have kept us well dressed, well fed (physically and spiritually) and most importantly well connected. Read all about our year in review below.

The More, The Merrier

The place to be, this year saw the largest number of new retail stores, restaurants and bars moving into their new homes on James St.

1. Armadillo shared their passion for textile artistry and sustainability
2. ēmmē set the street a light with their wood-fired Mediterranean fare
3. Gerries brought relaxed vibes, thumping tunes and $2 oysters to Little James St
4. July’s stylish and functional range upped our travel essentials game
5. Kave Home moved into their first ever Queensland residence
6. Klemenza gave us a considered curation of comfortable yet beautiful homewares and furniture
7. Mitchell Ogilvie Menswear expanded their ready to wear and tailor-made menswear stronghold
8. P. Johnson taught us a lesson in the art of dressing for a life well lived
9. Sphere Bridal Gallery completed the last piece of the one-stop wedding shop puzzle
10. Tinderbox Chook House reopened its doors with a clucking good, new chicken-focused menu

Keep an ear to ground because there’s even more coming your way with eateries Penelope and Hideki Yakitori set to grace the street in 2025.

Be Here, Be Cool

James St Up Late (JSUL) returned once more for our annual, one-night-only fashion and lifestyle party. Our residents stayed up past their bedtimes to host in-store activities, special guest appearances and shopping offers whilst put the bow on the street-wide party with funky themed lighting, giveaways, prizes and goodie bags to go home with; because what party is complete without a good bag at the end? Here’s the 411:

• Over 6,000 people made their way to our part of town to peruse, purchase and party
• 1,000 Party Bags were snapped up by shoppers
• 200 Flamingo Flowers provided a colourful reminder of the festivities passed
• Over $10,000 worth of James St prizes were up for grabs – quite literally!
• One in-venue DJ pumped the tunes and the vibes for three straight hours
• One streetstyle shoot with fashion photographer Katie Fergus proved just how cool our community is

Save the date, JSUL will be back in a big way on Thursday 27 March 2025.

Here’s To Our Bread + Butter

James St Food + Wine Trail (JSFWT) put on a weekend-long celebration of the restaurants, bars, cafes and providores that make up James St’s culinary family. Trail Day provided the perfect opportunity to amuse the bouche from the comfort of some of the districts most iconic venues before our resident chefs were unleashed for an all-out feast on Market Day. Here’s a snapshot of Market Day moments:

• Over 30,000 people ate, drank and danced their way through James St
• 500 square metres of our street was transformed into a gourmet marketplace
• 39 market stalls served up 76 different eats and 66 sips for your dining pleasure
• Five live music stages soundtracked the day’s epicurean adventures
• One kids camp provided hours of entertainment for all the young gourmands in the making
• One giant bronze-replica Camarasaurus skull towered over market goers in a special edition of Art on James

JSFWT is set to take over the street once more on the last weekend of July 2025 so get your appetite ready.

More Feel-Good News

A few memorable standouts from the 2024 highlights reel:

• Gerard’s earthen remodel was welcomed by the street and beyond, taking home Best Restaurant Design at the Eat, Drink, Design Awards 2024
• St Agni combined sustainability with 70s nostalgia in their newly renovated space
• ARTCLUB x Lucy Folk’s Artist in Residence pop-up brought nonchalant elegance and colourful artistry to The Calile
• Natasha Schweitzer unveiled their stunning new look following expansion and renovation
• Cru Bar made its long-awaited return, debuting sleek new interiors
• The Calile was named The Best Hotel in Oceania and number 25 globally by World’s 50 Best
• Mud commemorated another decade in the books, celebrating its 30^th birthday
• ESSA, Gerard’s and Hellenika bagged spots in Gourmet Traveller’s Best Restaurants in Queensland
• Hellenika and SK Steak & Oyster both won major awards at Australia’s Wine List of The Year Awards while Biànca, ESSA, Gemelli, Mosconi, sAme sAme and Sushi Room were all named on the 2024 Glass Winner List
• The Calile continued to foster thoughtful cultural discussions, hosting the likes of Ben Quilty, Joe Brumm, Virginia Trioli, the Australasian Dance Collective and Lindy Lee