Retail rebound

Mansfield is welcoming a new wave of retail with the shopping precinct in a state of revitalisation, after last year's business closures heralded a changing streetscape. Filling vacant storefronts, new faces have been added to the equation delivering an expanded and varied array of products and services, and alongside the new some of Mansfield’s established favourites are growing. Expanding from the more traditional thoroughfare of High Street, the plaza at the Mansfield Shopping Village on Highett Street is now fully leased with the Erril Street strip also boasting a full house. These little precincts have all attracted businesses of a similar ilk with beauty and wellness leading the charge. And amongst a raft of new businesses going in, from the bespoke designs of Angela Cunningham Jewellery to the arrival of Evergreen Glow offering up nail and beauty treatments in the Village Plaza, other more established businesses have expanded to meet demand. Indicative of confidence in the sector, owners are backing themselves and committing to the shire, with proprietors perceiving the retail landscape to be a strong one. Heirloom Naturally has gone from strength to strength over the years with owner Simone Boyd growing the business model from seasonal vegetable subscriptions with produce grown on-farm to the once-a-month Outdoor Provedore. Taking place on the third Saturday each month, the market showcases the very best of locally grown and made produce, and the success of the market and demand for high quality food and beverages from North East Victoria encouraged Simone to take the next step, opening up the High Country Provedore. A bricks-and-mortar shopfront on High Street, the building had been sitting vacant with the occasional pop-up since previous business Evoke closed its doors. For beauty therapist Mel Clarke after 25 years serving the Mansfield community—13 of those under her Boutique brand— her recent expansion on Erril Street has been a dream nearly a decade in the making. “With just two treatment rooms, we outgrew our space quickly, often booked out months in advance and heartbreakingly turning away new clients,” she said. Mel’s vision was to make Boutique, Mansfield’s one-stop beauty, skin and anti-ageing destination—offering everything from advanced dermal and laser treatments to cosmetic nursing antiaging solutions, cosmetic tattooing, laser tattoo removal, brows, lashes, waxing, nails and massage. When the neighbouring shop became available, she jumped at the chance to grow and set about a full, high-end renovation. The business’s recent growth is indicative of ongoing demand for advanced, high-quality beauty treatments, with the purpose-built clinic now employing a team of six and the space offering up five clinical dermal treatment rooms and dedicated nail and make-up areas. “This next chapter is about continuing to grow with our town and doing what we love—helping people feel confident in their skin,” said Mel. “It’s been such a joy to finally welcome new faces through the doors again, while continuing to care for our loyal clients—some of whom have followed me through multiple locations.” Mansfield Automotive Specialists have moved into a purpose-built workshop with Chenery Street frontage and visibility, another example of a long-standing business expanding to meet demand, building on significant goodwill. Charles Wilcox Gallery is relocating to a larger shopfront, committing the time, energy and finances to a complete renovation of the heritage listed building that take-away store Choices previously occupied. Just shy of two years ago, Charles made the move from Sorrento to Mansfield and hasn’t looked back, with the gallery welcoming a steady stream of art enthusiasts and buyers. Support has been so strong that the move to a larger more dedicated gallery space was the necessary progression. Madeleine (Mads) and Lucas Holland have been visiting Mansfield for years, coming up for holidays and trail rides with Hidden Trails. “Each time we found ourselves falling more in love with the town and its community,” said Mads. “When Lucas was offered work at local horse studs, we saw an opportunity to make the move from Adelaide - provided we could also bring our passion for tattooing here.” Building on his background as a professional farrier and breeder of Lusitano dressage horses, Lucas has been a tattooist for over a decade. Mads was his first apprentice, with the couple opening a tattoo studio together on the Adelaide coast. “Over the years, we grew that space into a thriving hub with multiple artists joining our team,” she said. Like Charles Wilcox the couple looked to invest locally and transition their business to the High Country, with Ponyboy Tattoo opening 7 August. Bookings have flowed in steadily right from the beginning. After sharing news of the new venture on the Mansfield Community and District Facebook page, the response was overwhelming - from tattoo inquiries to generous offers to help with the studio fit-out. “Tattooing has always been more than just a career for us, it’s a way of life,” Mads said. “Mansfield had been calling us for some time, and when the right opportunity came, we knew it was the perfect place to combine our love of the craft with the lifestyle and community we value so deeply. “Everything seemed to fall into place effortlessly: from finding the perfect shopfront to receiving tremendous support from Mansfield Shire. “Within two weeks we packed up our lives, convoyed over, and jumped straight into painting and setting up the studio. “The kindness of fellow business owners and locals made the transition seamless. “We’ve felt nothing but warmth and support since arriving in Mansfield,” said Mads. It’s community support that also inspired sisters Danai and Dimitra Kofidou to launch Nutrition Hub, with the shopfront opening last Friday. Building on the success of a business model honed at local markets, the Nutrition Hub is a smoothie bar serving up the good stuff from aloe vera shots to teas and smoothies. However, it’s more than just a smoothie bar with the hub offering up curated wellness. Alongside Ponyboy Tattoo, the Nutrition Hub have both leased spaces in the Mansfield Shopping Village plaza. Stepping outside the main shopping precinct, with the completion of the museum becoming a tangible reality the Mansfield Historical Society will soon begin converting the old station building into a tearoom. And across the road at 140 Maroondah Highway, building company Burra Commercial is in the process of delivering a service station. For motorists driving into town the Alpine approach now has fuel, completing the small industrial precinct. Just next door, Rosie’s café has converted a High Street residence into a new hospitality venue. It is just one of numerous local businesses that began as a long-held dream and aspiration, before the owner took that leap of faith. However in amongst the new, the township will be losing one of its long-standing businesses with the closure of the Mansfield Shoe Store. Serving the community for over 14 years the loss will be keenly felt, with the shop shutting at the end of October unless a buyer is found. Despite this loss, there is a positivity in the township that was lacking just a year ago, with the Mansfield Shire seeming to buck a statewide trend. Local economies in general are reeling from a sharp rise in business closures across the state, as main streets fill with 'For Lease" signs. And as the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy rolls out, concerns have been raised that the increased expense will also impact the profitability of local businesses. According to newly released insolvency data from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, 4242 Victorian companies collapsed or had a financial controller appointed in the 2024–25 financial year. This marks a staggering 48 per cent increase compared to the 2,863 recorded in 2023–24. Victoria recorded the largest percentage increase of any mainland state, with business failures nearly doubling over the past two years from 2,144 in 2022–23. In the neighbouring electorate of Euroa, state member Annabelle Cleeland has been trying to arrest this statewide decline at a local level by meeting with business owners in a push to deliver stronger support for small and medium-sized businesses before they hit breaking point. Ms Cleeland has met with operators in Kilmore, Euroa, Seymour and Broadford. “Businesses are shutting down at an alarming rate across our region,” Ms Cleeland said. Ms Cleeland attributes business failures to the state government's economic mismanagement which is "crushing business confidence, slashing jobs, and driving long-standing local enterprises to the wall". “Rising taxes, soaring energy prices, a broken WorkCover system, and constant red tape are making it near impossible for many businesses to survive, let alone grow,” she said. "Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy, particularly in regional towns.” According to Ms Cleeland now more than ever, local businesses needed certainty. Part of this certainty is the importance of supporting local. Despite the broader economic challenges facing Victoria, Mansfield's retail sector is thriving, fueled by local confidence and a community that continues to support new and established businesses alike.

Retail rebound

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