Designed by architect H. J. Prockter, it was a prominent feature in Barrack Street when constructed, being taller than the one or two story buildings surrounding it.

[2] The site of the future Bon Marché Arcade was purchased by Bernard Stein, a Jewish bookbinder and former convict, in 1884 as a block of land.

[2] The closure and demolition of the Hay Street David Jones store in 1979 led to a vast decline in patronage of the arcade.

The original pink terrazzo flooring was revealed when coverings were removed, inlaid with brass lettering of the arcade's name, but this was overlain with ceramic tiles.

These defects in details on the ground floor were noted when the building was listed on the City of Perth's Municipal Heritage Inventory in 2001, though the upper levels were considered intact.