Melbourne is one of Australia’s top shopping destinations with plenty of arcades, malls and precincts to tempt residents and visitors alike. Opening a retail store is something that many people dream of, and choosing a location is often a made or decided decision. Making the right choice will depend on what products the store will be selling, and what type of customer it is expected to attract. Once you’ve decided on one of these great precedents, it’s a good idea to hire one shopfitting professionals to create the most suitable workspace for your business and clients or customers.
Port city
This 41,000 square foot shopping facility opened in October 2008 in the Docklands area. Its 180 stores are spread over two levels of side streets and are a mix of specialty shops and factory outlets. There is a good mix of homewares, fashion, jewelery and gifts available, often offered at deeply discounted prices. Shoppers here will be looking for a good deal, so a store that caters to clients on a budget will probably get the best prices.
GPO Melbourne
The Melbourne General Post Office is a beautiful neoclassical building right in the heart of the city. After a fire in 2001, the building was renovated in 2004, and is now an arcade-style shopping center. The range of shops here is eclectic with a bias towards fashion. Although some of the shops here have lower priced items, most are in the mid to high end market range. Rent prices within the GPO are high, but local roads will offer a better deal, and are also very popular. The building is high on most visitors’ must-see lists, so shops that cater to tourists could do well.
Chadstone
Also known as “Capital Mode”, Chadstone is Melbourne’s super mall. Its 530 stores make it the largest shopping center in Australia, and up to 68,000 people visit the center every day. Chadstone has a store for every budget, from big-name designer labels to super-budget discount stores. In addition to retail offerings, the mall has two food courts, a 16-screen cinema and a bowling alley. A 180-room hotel is also planned as Chadstone continues to expand. Opening a shop here would be the mixed blessing of very high traffic combined with stiff competition. Without a big name, a shop definitely needs a unique niche or appeal to stand out.
Queen Victoria Market
One of the city’s most popular destinations, Queen Victoria Market has been Melbourne’s go-to destination for gourmet products for more than a century. Half of the market space is devoted to food; the other half offers a variety of specialty clothing and merchandise giveaways, including many handmade items. This is a classic open air market and is described as a bustling one, with very busy Sundays.
Collins Street and Collins Place
Here’s Melbourne’s answer to Bond Street, Fifth Avenue and Rodeo Drive. Here the shops boast top drawer designer names and sales are almost unheard of. The rents are high, but the customers have almost endless pockets. If a retail store hopes to sell the best merchandise at “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” prices, this is the place to be.
Daniel Lewis When she’s not working for one of Australia’s finest shop owners, she loves socializing, meeting new people and trying new dishes.
