When Adelaide Arcade was built in 1885 it comprised 50 shops. Nowadays it boasts a diverse range of over 100 specialty retail outlets on the ground floor and balcony level. It took only five months to build and a further two months to occupy. Over two million bricks were required and 50,000 square feet of glass was used.

It was planned that each of the original shops would retail wares from the ground floor with a workroom on the first floor. Each shop had an inside staircase to this end. The Adelaide Arcade was officially opened by the Governor Sir William Robinson on December 12th 1885. An orchestra played an especially composed polka, (named The Adelaide Arcade Polka) composed for the occasion by Signor R Squarise.

The whole building was illuminated by electric light and was one of the first buildings in Adelaide to use electric lighting. The Arcade is said to be hauted by its former caretaker Francis Cluney. He was investigating a flickering light one night in June, 1887, when he fell into the generator and died.

http://www.adelaidearcade.com.au/history.php