Retail has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
Growing up in Albert Park, Mum would dress us up and we’d catch the tram into the city. Back then, a trip to Myer was an event. We’d be clipped into little leather harnesses so we wouldn’t run off, and after wandering through the store, we’d end up in the Myer cafeteria for lunch.
Shopping was different then.
There were department stores, but there were also specialist shops for everything. If you wanted jeans, you went to a denim store. If you needed shoes, you went to a shoe shop. There were dress shops, sports stores for tennis outfits and equipment, swimwear stores, ski stores, music stores and toy stores. Everything had its place, and every shop had its own personality.
As a teenager and young adult, shopping became an adventure. We’d spend weekends wandering Chapel Street, Bridge Road, Smith Street hunting for outlet bargains, Greville Street for something alternative, and Melbourne’s laneways looking for hidden gems. Chadstone was good, but it wasn’t the giant shopping destination it is today. The experience was often about the journey as much as the purchase.
What I remember most isn’t what I bought. It’s how shopping made me feel.
There were boutique owners who knew their customers by name. Jewellery stores, accessory stores, handbag shops, independent fashion boutiques and family businesses that brought character and life to our shopping strips. They created communities, conversations and connections.
Today, we often talk about supporting local, but I don’t think many people realise what we’re losing.
With every boutique that closes, we lose more than a shop. We lose expertise, personality, creativity and human connection. We lose the joy of wandering from store to store, discovering something unexpected, talking to passionate business owners and enjoying the simple experience of shopping in real life.
Retail was never just about buying things.
It was about people, places, memories and experiences.
There aren’t many boutiques left today, and without support, there will be even fewer tomorrow. That’s a sad thought, because once they’re gone, we won’t get them back.