Gorgeous Local Shops with Good Vibes

December 15, 2023

There are lots of local stores popping up that are offering more than just beautiful wares… with clever eco-conscious concepts, collaborations and even energy workshops to raise the collective community’s vibrations!

VENLA resell+relove, Manly

This is such a brilliant idea! VENLA resell + love has just opened in Manly offering a convenient way for the community to sell their preloved fashion items, and reduce fashion waste, by renting a rack in the store.

The visionary minds behind VENLA resell + relove, are Minna and Satu, who are from Finland but have called Australia home for over 25 years. They wanted to establish a business that not only benefited their community but also contributed positively to the environment. Thus, VENLA resell + relove was born.

“The Manly store on Rialto Lane builds on the success of VENLA’s flagship Mosman store which we opened in January 2021,” says Satu, “followed by Bondi Junction in October 2021 and Balmain in July 2022. In addition to Manly, VENLA will also continue to extend its reach and impact in the fight against fashion waste with a new location in Cronulla, which has just opened as well.”

“VENLA is a haven for those seeking to rejuvenate their wardrobe while discovering new fashion treasures,” adds Minna. “With its contemporary Nordic aesthetic the business isn’t merely about fashion; it’s about sustainability, recycling, and promoting a more eco-conscious way of life. With over 63,000 fashion items recycled through its existing stores, VENLA is committed to reshaping the fashion landscape and helping locals be part of the change too.”

How Does It Work?: You simply register your details on the VENLA website and book your rack. You can opt for VENLA self-service where you list and price your items. VENLA provides price tags, hangers and steamer, you provide the clothes and set up your rack. In addition to the rack rental, you pay VENLA 25% commission on sold items.

There’s also an All-Inclusive Service where you can take your items to VENLA 1-2 days before your rental starts. They will list and price the items, and check you approve before setting up the rack for you. In addition to the rack rental, there’s a 50% commission on sold items.

The proceeds generated from sales at VENLA Charity racks, stocked with items donated by our generous sellers, also continues to support Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter and Lou’s Place charities!

VENLA resell + relove

Opening hours: Weekdays 10 am – 5 pm, Saturday 10 am – 4 pm, Sunday 11 am – 4 pm

Website link: www.venla.com.au

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/venla.resell.relove

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/venla.resell.relove/

AvCats, Avalon

This colourful and eclectic store pays homage to an era far gone – the colourful 70’s and 80’s, the surf culture and the flare of the Northern Beaches in those golden years. Owner Amalia Z Renwick tells of the bygone era beautifully:

“I have been curating over thirty 30 years things that bring me joy… a favourite small painting of my fathers, an incredible pair of Louboutin heals, a Burberry Coat, the internal structure of a Vivienne Westwood dress. I believe fashion and trend are a reflection of our times. The role that AvCats plays, like the art and fashion we source, is constantly evolving.

I began collecting beautiful things as a child growing up in Avalon in the 1970’s when Avalon was a provincial, sleepy beachside town. The AvCats were a gang of surfers from Avalon that gathered at the Avalon Beach SLC or at the beach. They had a reputation for drugs and fighting, often brawling with the neighbouring Narrabeen Lads.

The Far Northern Beaches’ population consisted mainly of hard-working blue-collar families. The ocean was our religion, surfing our culture. It was a fun and lively time. Colourful. Many of my peers’ parents were artists or creatives living a Bohemian lifestyle. Local legends come to mind with great thinkers such as Bob Ellis, (my father) Ross Renwick of the Billy Blue, Tony Edwards and Madame Lash- whose parties were legendary.”

On AvCats The Store:

“A cute double entendre is how the name came together [for the store]. I was feeling nostalgic with the current vanilla state of affairs on the Northern Beaches, and decided to inject some colour back in. Being the marketing/ retail wizard that I am, I signed the lease on an empty shop in a quiet, pale brick mid-Century residential cluster of shops, away from any direct roads and customers to the beach or Avalon shops, and minimal opportunity for drive-buys to catch a glimpse of the knee high 1960’s boots in the window.

What should one expect in AvCats? Expect to have sensory overload, colour and lots of it. Peruse the shelves of vintage heels – I have just had all Louboutins re-soled at the Cobbler in Mona Vale. Don’t go past the fabulous 1960’s Gucci wedges, but don’t dismiss the leather sandals that are down from $65 to $25..Complete the look with a pair of gorgeous vintage emerald earrings.

It’s like playing dress ups each day and so much fun.

We can tailor make an appointment for you, We close the front door and will take you on a ride through disco, country, bohemia, 90’s grunge and a little punk rock. We offer a 1-on-1 styling service that allows you the time to emerge yourself, sight, scent and sound. It’s truly an experience – so, if like me a Vivienne Westwood is more like a piece of art than a dress, you will be in Heaven.

If you haven’t got that dress yet, shake a tail feather and peruse our gorgeous new and vintage gowns, fresh in for Christmas parties.

We also stock a broad range of interesting homewares and gifts, including hand-carved Indian ink stamps so the kids could decorate their curtains, or yours. Plus gorgeous soaps, a highly curated jewellery collection, velvet cushions, flax linen sheets and all that jazz……

Speaking of jazz, we devote an entire wall to fine art pieces, and we would love to support local artists struggling to get any retail space in Avalon. We also offer consignment, so start digging through those wardrobes, ladies, then simply drop them off and we will take care of the rest, including optics over all social media platform to help derive your best price.

The piece de resistance is the weekly shuffle. Every piece sold is immediately replaced. And I don’t overstack the hangers as I want the customer to really look at the garment, and feel the fabric. Seasonal adjustments and new stock daily keeps it fresh, you will always find something new.

We really do rely on word of mouth, so come support a local business that’s a little out of the box, but our difference is what makes us special. Grab a coffee from Paloma next door and come and surround yourself with beauty.”

AvCats Avalon

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093234931635

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theavcats/

Cherry Blossom, Narrabeen

Everyone will have spotted this gorgeous store – it lights up Pittwater Rd and you can’t help but smile when you see it. Making the ultimate good vibes boutique, but there’s much more to Cherry Blossom than meets the eye.

It’s owned by Christine Zaranko, a former figure skater who represented Australia at two world championships, as well as having two international medals and a number of Australian medals, including Gold. When her son started school she bought a recycled clothing store and ran it for 14 years. Loving the sustainability factor, she took over Cherry Blossom Narrabeen in January of 2020.

“Cherry Blossom offers a range of sustainable, local and international fashion brands,” says Christine. “All following ethical practices from the ground up. We are also a Spiritual Wellness center, offering the Beaches community ways to tap into energy healing and readings.”

“We have six beautiful very experienced practitioners working out of Cherry Blossom Narrabeen Wellness & Healing Room. The list of modalities is something we are so pleased to offer our customers. We are looking at growing our offerings in the healing area with courses, workshops, events and retreats in the near future.”

The hand-painted wings painted on the side of the building has become quite a well-known landmark and Christine says it was painted by local postman & artist Dan Lawton.

“I love that the community can see its beauty and we encourage people to take photos in front of our wings and visit the store in the process,” she says.

“This year I haven’t bought much new stock and am concentrating on clearing out already existing stock… so come on in and grab some ethical Chrissie presents – or something for yourself. The future goal is to reduce the amount of stock I hold on hand and bring in higher vibrational clothing in smaller quantities. We also want to raise the vibration of the collective community with our tools, experiences and courses.”