The following businesses were the 2013 Gold recipients of the Lord Mayor's Commendations.
Patricia Knox
Business name: Poppy Shop
Business address: 283 Lygon Street, Carlton 3053
Telephone: 03 9347 6302
Business email: classictoys.pk@gmail.com
Year became proprietor: 1967
In June 1967 Pat Knox and her then husband took over the Poppyshop business. They sold some new products, but mainly second hand furniture, china and glassware. The stock later evolved into toys, gifts, jewellery and cards.
During four decades, Pat has seen the children of her original customers become parents and grandparents, whilst remaining loyal customers.
The Poppyshop is an important part of the history of Carlton. The Melbourne Film Society met there in the sixties (the screen is still upstairs), and the Carlton News started there, which later became the Melbourne Times. After 46 years, Pat still enjoys her customers and the shop.
Charles Kovacs
Business name: K&K Export Import Co
Business address: Level 4, 227 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000
Telephone: 0418 583 163
Business email: kath@kandk.net.au
Year became proprietor: 1968
Charles Kovacs arrived in Melbourne in 1957 as a refugee, with no possessions and unable to speak English, following the uprising in Budapest, Hungary. He was involved in a number of different types of businesses but a chance encounter with an opal dealer in the late 1960s led to a lifelong career.
Charles started to trade in opals and from there expanded his company’s range to include all types of coloured gemstones. Over the last 45 years his company has exported to all parts of Europe, the United States and Asia as well as providing a continued service to jewellers throughout Australia.
Having travelled extensively, Charles cites Melbourne’s good food, wine and culture to be drawcards that place it ahead of all other cities.
Peter Mulcahy
Business name: Peter Mulcahy & Associates Pty Ltd
Business address: 62 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne 3002
Telephone: 03 9415 1192
Business email: email@pmasurveyors.com
Business website: pmasurveyors.com
Year became proprietor: [1964] 1966 within City of Melbourne
Peter Mulcahy qualified as a licensed land surveyor in 1962 and worked as the senior surveyor with Arnold Wilson and Associates until 1964 when he decided to start his own practice to fulfil his desire to be self-employed. Peter commenced in Kew with one employee, moving to Albert Street, East Melbourne in 1966, where the practice grew to eight employees. He relocated several times within the city before moving to Wellington Parade in 1987.
In the aftermath of the bushfires in February 2009 the Surveying Profession of Victoria assisted fire-affected communities by locating all surviving survey marks that would be used to re-define property boundaries. Peter’s firm participated, in a voluntary capacity, in this project.
Joanna Pace
Business name: Casa Del Gelato
Business address: 163 Lygon Street, Carlton 3053
Telephone: 03 9347 7500
Business email: casadelgelato@gelato.com.au
Business website: casadelgelato.com.au
Year became proprietor: 1973
Joanna Pace has a family retail legacy, with her family owning Paynes Bon Marche in Bourke Street. The young Joanna O’Rorke grew up in a family whose constant topic of conversation was the city and its businesses.
Joanna started her business career in hospitality in 1973, as Joanna’s Real Food and Real Music, in Elgin Street, Carlton, moving to Lygon Street in 1974. To separate the properties and proprietors, her next door neighbour, Ottorino Pace, built a fence. Liaising over the fence led to love, marriage, raising four children and the business evolving into Casa del Gelato, Melbourne’s first boutique ice-cream parlour.
Four decades later Joanna and Ottorino are still partners in life and in this iconic Melbourne business. Joanna was also a founding participant and driver of the Lygon Street Festa, and long-serving Treasurer and President of The Carlton Traders Association. She is Vice President of the East Melbourne Group to which she has belonged since 1979.
Peter Snow
Business name: Record Collectors Corner
Business address: 387 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000
Telephone: 03 8060 4570
Business email: peterscollectors@gmail.com
Year became proprietor: [1971] 1973 within City of Melbourne
Peter Snow has been a passionate record collector since the age of 12. When he was 18 he started a record stall at a market at Monash University, which marked the beginning of over 40 years of selling music, books and accessories.
In the early 1970s Peter had a shop on campus at Monash University, then in 1973 opened a shop on the corner of Little Lonsdale and Swanston streets: hence the name, and is now in his fifth CBD location.
The business caters for the hard core music collectors who are alternative in their tastes. They stock a huge selection of hard to find second-hand and new vinyl, CDs and cult DVDs.