THIS SUMMER FESTIVE SEASON, WHILE YOU’VE GOT SOME HOLIDAY TIME ON YOUR HANDS AND A GOOD REASON TO SHOP, WHY NOT SEEK OUT SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT?
The “Shop Small” movement, founded by American Express, encourages purchases from small businesses, particularly in your own community, to show your support for Australia’s smaller retailers and service providers. Two million small businesses in this country need our support.
Remember, when you #shopsmall, a small business owner somewhere does a little happy dance. How can you deny that!
Here are some of the GC’s best small businesses for you to seek out and enjoy.
TVM
When you think #shopsmall and supporting the GC’s emerging businesses and the
local makers out there, you automatically think of The Village Markets. TVM is a
creative community that has seen the beginning of some great brands.
Peony Swimwear, Kivari, Bones Society and Children of The Tribe have all started out selling their wares at TVM on Sunday mornings.
FOUND FURNITURE AND SMALL STALL
Found furniture was established in 2006 by cabinetmaker matt hatcher. found brings together a colourful mix of vintage Australian and European mid-century furniture, one-off collectables and contemporary homewares.
The first incarnation of the found showroom was in Palm Beach. In 2010, a new premise was discovered in Tugun (2/471 Golden Four Drive) and the team decided to move. Through the evolution of found, their ethos has always remained: quality furniture will last more than one lifetime. found prides itself on sourcing original pieces and revitalising them using a range of restoration techniques.
Extending on the #shopsmall movement and providing yet another reason to seek
out the location, found will host a ‘Small Stall’ pop-up shop from December 2-23
featuring all things house plants, gifts and ceramics. Small Stall was a gorgeous
store on the Gold Coast Highway at Palm Beach some years ago and through this
pop-up, it will live on again!
GATHER
When we asked around for ideas on fave #shopsmall locations, Gather came up a
popular choice. A bricks-and- mortar store on Currumbin Creek Road with a parallel
online presence, it’s the creative home of sisters in law, Jan and Sandy Hogg. Gather offers a delightful blend of raw, crafted and botanical treasures, many of which are made by hand by local Gold Coast and Byron Bay artisans.
The store features an eclectic mix of ceramics, plants, homewares, furniture, clothing, books, organic skincare products and jewellery. “We love the originality and one-off aspect of the products we stock,” Jan says. “What stands out to us is that creativity is alive and well here in the southeast with many craftsmen and craftswomen supplying their wares through us.
This helps to create an interesting mix of products throughout our store. We provide a vehicle for many emerging new artists and we get to enjoy the creative outlet as well.”
KIRA & KIRA
Combine two ex-bankers, “a clever eye” (or four!) and some entrepreneurial spirit
and you have one of the hottest Gold Coast interiors stores and the eponymous
furniture brand Kira & Kira.
Simone and Grason Kira are business partners in Kira & Kira as well as being a formidable local husband-and- wife partnership boasting 27 years of ‘togetherness’. The story behind the Kira & Kira furniture label is an interesting and fateful one. Simone says it was back in 2012 that Grason was simply asked by a friend to build a credenza. Everyone loved it. He made another and another and since that time, “The Iconic” credenza has gone on to be one of Kira & Kira’s best selling pieces ever.
The Kira & Kira store at Miami is home to Grason’s work as well as many other local
artisans’ wares. Ahoy Traders’ original art tiles are there as well as Armadillo & Co
rugs, jewellery, stunning original paintings, other wall art, The Beach People roundie towels and more. “We enjoy engaging with other Australian designers, artists and makers,” Grason says. “This element of the business is fantastic and we have had some really beautiful alternative work in store and we are proud to be involved with other creatives both locally and throughout Australia.”