Premiering on Sunday 20th January 1980 between 7.30pm to 9pm, the first edition was the centrepoint of the evening's viewing on the first day of Channel 10's rebranding from ATV0.
Coral Drouyn was under the impression that she was auditioning as Kitty Adams due to their similar back history, so wore a corset to the audition. On learning the part was actually Consuela McPhee, she discretely removed the corset and got the part.
Taping took place on one of the biggest standing sets ever constructed for Australian TV. John Northcote's team built practically a full shopping arcade in Channel 10's Studio A (the biggest recording facility in the southern hemisphere) in Sydney, on a reported budget of $3 million; the studio had also been specially refloored with new lighting grids and technical equipment installed. The finished work was so complete it included functioning tills, ATM machines and burglar alarms. When the show was dropped the entire thing was dismantled and dumped outside the studios as free firewood for passers-by.
Ten were hoping to replicate the success of Number 96 (1972), utilising many of the same writers, production personnel and cast. Even the closing credits echoed 96's, with each shop's cast details inlaid over their respective frontages. Executive producer Peter Benardos announced that they were aiming to emulate their predecessor's longevity. With dramatically plunging ratings and poor reviews, the series only managed six weeks, with many already-completed episodes left unaired.
The series' opening sequence and establishing shots featured views of the Strata Motor Inn (sited in Cremorne in the Sydney's North Shore suburbs) doubling for the Arcade's exterior. Series theme tune performer Doug Parkinson had gigged there in reality.