The street later became known for its atmosphere and active nightlife, including a somewhat seedy reputation, until in the 21st century it reinvented itself as a more upmarket precinct, dubbed the West End.

[6] For many years, the street was the centre of trade and finance for Adelaide, and it was expected to hold that position as time passed.

This was because Adelaide was a very young city at the time, with the majority of settlers coming from the west with the water sourced from the River Torrens.

[5] The first meeting of Adelaide City Council the oldest municipal body in Australia,[7] was held in Hindley Street on 4 November 1840.

To see the photographs – quaint and laughable – of old George Coppin, the first lessee... when it was built in 1839 is to recall a good comedian of the early years".

[10][11] The highly successful brewery was taken over by the South Australian Brewing, Malting, Wine and Spirit Company, an amalgamation of three brewers, in 1888.

[13] Conrad died in December 1918,[14] and the business was taken over by W. H. Bruce,[15] and expanded to Rundle Street, East End Market, and Port Adelaide.

[16] On 19 October 1896 the first public moving picture demonstration in South Australia was hosted by Wybert Reeve at the Theatre Royal.

[18][19] "Coffee palaces" were a type of residential hotel, that provided family-style meals as well as accommodation, but without liquor licences.

[20] In 1903, the Austral Stores, a complex of 12 shops, large warehouse and residential accommodation, was built to the designs of noted local architect Albert Selmar Conrad at 104–120 Hindley Street.

[42] Built on the site of Conrad's butcher shop on the northeast corner of Victoria Street,[2] it opened on 6 October 1939, a luxurious building which included air-conditioning, and accommodated an audience of 1,286 in stalls, dress circle, and lounge.

[43] In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, Hindley Street became known for its diversity: coffee lounges, restaurants, pubs, ice and roller skating rinks, a late-night chemist, theatres, cinemas, "alternative" bookshops and retail outlets were available along the strip.

[28] In the early 2000s, the street experienced somewhat of a decline, with several shops closing and left vacant or boarded up, and a consequent lack of daytime foot traffic.

Late-night alcohol-fuelled violence and drunken behaviour along the street drove the Adelaide City Council to introduce a 3am lockout, in which all business (predominantly nightclubs) must refuse entry after 3am.

107 Hindley Street in 1999, around the time that many arts organisations were moving into the vicinity, including Adelaide Festival offices above the shop.

At the time, the Rudd government was offering stimulus packages; however, the global financial crisis occurred the following year, causing losses.

[56] Imprints ran the Adelaide Writers' Week book tent for ten years from 2011, under the direction of Laura Kroetsch and then Jo Dyer.

[56] In 2015, the store was raided by South Australia Police, after a complaint had been lodged that they had been selling unwrapped copies of the new edition of the cult novel American Psycho,[59] by Bret Easton Ellis.

[63][64] Hindley Street is mentioned in the song "Carrington Cabaret" by Redgum on their 1978 album If You Don't Fight You Lose.

[66] The Australian cover band, the Hindley Street Country Club is named after the live music scene of the 1970's, 80s and 90s.