Vertical retailing includes above awning as well as basement retailing. Vertical retail outlets appeal to those shoppers who have a sense of adventure, those who explore not just the streets, but interesting buildings too, looking for that special item.
Clients of vertical retailing appreciate discovering an outlet and then finding exactly the item of clothing, jewellery, footwear, music or whatever they are hunting for, knowing it will be truly distinctive.
The concept of vertical retailing isn’t exactly new, but its uptake in Melbourne is gathering momentum. The strong growth of vertical retailing in central Melbourne over the last few years highlights the resurgence in popularity of the CBD as a retail destination and, complementing the city’s famous laneways, vertical retailing in Melbourne may perhaps be described as ‘vertical laneways’.
Leading the way
Curtin House, located in the heart of Melbourne at 252 Swanston Street, has become home to a diverse range of above awning businesses. From the well known Cookie Bar on the first floor to Toff in Town on the second floor, on up to specialist fashion retailers Order and Progress and Someday as well as exclusive book retailer Metropolis on the third level, Curtin House’s revelations end with the Rooftop Cinema on level seven.
‘Aladdin’s cave’ comes to mind when visiting Nicholas House at 37 Swanston Street. This building, accessed via the stunning Cathedral Arcade, contains a unique combination of boutique retailers, including Kimono House and Buttonmania (located in the former ballroom), as well as artists’ studios and office tenants.
Mag Nation was so taken with the notion of vertical retailing that it has occupied the whole building at its Elizabeth Street store. There it launched The Third Floor – a retail concept for those interested in design, fashion, popular culture and more.
Some recipients of small business grants are also above awning retailers. Among them are Hear Now, an independent music store specialising in electronica, located at 2 Somerset Place in the heart of the bar and club scene, of which it is such a major part; and Thread Den, a sewing lounge combined with a retail store specialising in local established and emerging designer clothing, located at 16 Errol Street, North Melbourne (upstairs via Webb Lane).
Another treasure, hidden away below Flinders Street at Shop 9 Campbell Arcade, is The Cats Meow. Boasting mostly made in Melbourne labels, this is a clothing store with a difference, stocking fashions and accessories from independent designers. There are one-off originals as well as everyday basics – inviting shoppers to venture underground.
These are just a small snapshot of the diverse interpretations of vertical retailing that can now be found in the heart of Melbourne.