Meet 9 of the new kids on Adelaide’s retail block
There’s new businesses popping up all over Adelaide and the ’burbs. Here’s a few standouts that have caught our eye and some hot-off-the-press goss about stores about to open.
Lifestyle
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Online schmon-line – okay, not really, because some of these business people are also e-tailers – but you’ve got to love the way these fabulous folk are embracing anything-but-traditional bricks and mortar spaces to sell their wares.
Here we meet some of the new kids on the retail block in and around Adelaide.
KATYA KOMAROVA
What do you get when a model-turned-handbag designer – who also happens to be one of Adelaide’s best-dressed women – opens her own business? Why, a super classy looking store. Katya Komarova, whose signature accessories label is all about sustainable, ethically-made affordable luxury, has set up shop in Stirling.
Like Komarova’s designs, the stylish space has clean lines, so that each and every bag on display makes a bold statement.
“I live in the Hills, and when I saw that place next to Red Cacao vacant, I felt straight away that this was it and I must go for it,” Katya says, adding: “I knew it will be a completely new thing for me to do, so once I got my family on board with the idea, I signed the contract.
“I’m so proud of what my family and my team have been able to do in one month to get the shop ready. It’s a beautiful new home for Katya Komarova.”
Katya Komarova, 2b Mount Barker Road, Stirling
Open: Wednesday to Sunday 10am-5pm
SASS & BIDE RUNDLE ST
Is fashion fleeting? Not if you ask Aussie brand Sass & Bide, which is more than happy to revisit an oldie, but a goodie. For example, the label recently relaunched its Rats scrunched leggings, which were the must-have item in the late noughties. Worn by celebs including model Miranda Kerr and Russell Brand, they were the glamorous way to do the whole leggings worn as pants thing.
Sass & Bide has returned to Rundle St, where it previously had a store. The new one was officially opened with a Saturday afternoon shindig, where guests – wearing Rats, naturally – nibbled on more-ish macarons, washed down with champagne cocktails.
Sass & Bide, 147 Rundle St, city
Open: Monday to Thursday 10am-6pm, Friday 10am-9pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday noon-5pm
KENNEDY PARKER
Men’s shoe designer Jayne-Anne Power isn’t exactly a newbie to the Adelaide retail scene. She’s been running her Kennedy Parker store in the city since late last year. But she’s always coming up with fresh ideas, including stepping up the program of the upcoming Adelaide Fashion Week.
The three-day festival, from Friday, October 20 to Sunday, October 23, is run by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), a subsidiary of Adelaide City Council. Now in its second year, it replaced the retail-focused Vogue Festival, which was a spin-off of the Adelaide Fashion Festival axed by the former Liberal state government in May 2019. The events of all three festivals have largely focused on womenswear, but Jayne-Anne is changing that.
The founder of footwear brand Kennedy Parker, which has a city store in Twin St, is taking over Adelaide Arcade’s adjoining Gay’s Arcade on the Saturday night. Shoes, Booze and Style for the Boys will include a parade featuring menswear, from retailers such as Mr Choon, Oscar Hunt and Terry Gasson Tailor, styled with Kennedy Parker shoes.
“The event will be stylish and charming with a club undertone,” Jayne-Anne says. “We want guests to have a relaxed evening, enjoying gin, music and amazing snacks. They will be entertained and informed about cool boutique fashion available to men in this city and how to tap into their own style. It will be fun, informative, and everyone is welcome.”
For more information and to book tickets, visit adlfashionweek.com
Kennedy Parker, 23 Twin St, city
Open: Monday to Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 10am-3pm
GERANIUM
This little gem on Halifax St is cute and colourful – as you would expect from its owner Kimberlee Brown, who is also the creator of Pop Rock Park. For anyone who has been living under a rock, the accessories brand is all about sweet little pieces of more-ish arm candy, necklaces, earrings, rings, keyrings and sunglasses.
Taking inspo from some of her fave “international shopping destinations” such as Oliver Bonas, Anthropologie, and Liberty London, Kimberlee has filled the store – and its delightful green shelves – with charming and quirky homewares, gifts, accessories and more.
“I love how geraniums are seen everywhere from Nona’s garden in the suburbs to the planter boxes adorning the windows of Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris,” she says. “I feel like that is what this shop is about – there is comfort, there is fun, there is luxury – there is something for everyone.”
FYI, Kimberlee also runs Quick Brown Fox Finance, where she’s an accountant, tax agent and business consultant. A number cruncher who believes in shopping? You had us at ker-ching!
Geranium, 76 Halifax St, Adelaide
Open: Wednesday to Friday 1-6pm, Saturday 11am-2pm
SCULPT
Has little old Adelaide got its own Fountain of Youth like no other in the nation? That’s what the powers that be (who do injectables and laser therapies, and the like) are saying at this new Stepney business. And – with a Mediterranean vibe – it certainly looks the part.
Founded by Angelica Mesisca Barrientos and three years in the making, Sculpt offers treatments, technologies and products designed to rejuvenate skin that you won’t find anywhere else in the country. There’s also an in-house signature facial – Sculpt, the Ritual – which uses Rationale, Toskani, ISclinical (who says you can’t mix your skincare products?) and Australia’s first MLX-i3 Dome – “a new generation of torchless, non-invasive detox treatments combining three powerful wellness technologies for total body rejuvenation”.
“Sculpt is a beautiful and safe environment where people of all body types, tones, genders, and maturities can enter knowing that they will be seen by qualified and experienced health professionals” Angelica says.
Sculpt, 13 Henry St, Stepney
For opening hours and appointments visit sculpt.com.au
ZACARY PATISSERIE
Zak Antoniou, who enjoyed a taste of fame four years ago on Channel 7 reality series Zumbo’s Just Desserts, has just opened a ZACARY Patisserie pop-up shop in Adelaide Arcade. Like Katya Komarova’s store, the patisserie’s fit-out is understated to allow his signature mirror-glaze cakes to shine. The range includes sweet references to Zak’s Greek background; there are Mati or “evil eye”, white column and Santorini cakes.
You can also treat yourself to Melomakarono, honey and walnut biscuits with or without chocolate coating, and Kourabies, almond shortbread biscuits covered in icing sugar. “This has been a dream of mine for so long and I am going to continue making cakes to sell online and at markets in the future,” Zak says.
ZACARY Patisserie is supported by Renew Adelaide, a non-profit organisation which matches emerging ventures with vacant spaces.
Zacary Patisserie, Shop 19 Adelaide Arcade, city
Open: Wednesday to Friday 9am-4 pm, Saturday 10am-3pm
PRICELINE PHARMACY ADELAIDE CITY
When Priceline opened a new store in Rundle Mall earlier this month, Adelaide was tickled hot pink – Priceline’s official colour, the way Tiffany & Co. has its own trademark blue! Priceline threw what was rumoured to be the company’s biggest bash, anywhere in Australia, ever. The soiree started with a hot pink, of course, ribbon-cutting ceremony at the store in Adelaide Central Plaza, where VIPs were swilling pink champagne – Moet Imperial Rose – to tie in with Priceline’s branding. With a dress code of “Business Cocktail with a Touch of Pink”, the grand opening ended up at Hotel Richmond, where the party kicked on with cocktails and canapes.
Priceline Adelaide City, Adelaide Central Plaza, Lower Ground Shop 6/100
Open: Monday to Thursday 8am-6pm, Friday 8am-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-5pm
But wait, there’s more: Coming soon …
FRIDA LAS VEGAS
Rundle Mall is never going to be the same once Frida Las Vegas moves in next month.
Adelaide’s own Stavroula Adameitis – the brains and beauty – behind the OTT label has joined forces with Renew Adelaide to open a store in Charles St. Frida Las Vegas designs have been worn by Sam Smith, Katy Perry and SA’s own Hans.
LANDOUGH’S
Forget about that bikini diet because it ain’t gonna happen now that Landough’s is coming to Jetty Rd, Brighton. The business, which is also due to open in October, is the brainchild of Chimere and Josh Rivers, of coffee shop C.R.E.A.M. fame. Landough’s – which will be right next door to C.R.E.A.M. – will have more than 15 doughnuts on the menu, along with fried treats called “slabwiches”!
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