Meet the innovative business owners in Adelaide’s northern suburbs
For Luba Chambers, it all started when social post unexpectedly blew up. She now ships Australia-wide, has set up a space in her garden, and can fit her work around her two kids.
North & North East
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From canine business partners inspiring healthy doggie treats to husbands and wives dealing with some of the hottest chilli around, we’re taking a look at some of the power business couples across Adelaide’s north.
Narla’s Dogilicious Treats
Munno Para West
When Merridy Williamson was told her beloved kelpie had three months to live she refused to accept the diagnosis – and her research turned into her business.
Ms Williamson, a former vet nurse, brought Narla into her family in 2017.
But when Narla was six, a vet diagnosed her with severe hip dysplasia and told her 36-year-old owner she’d need cortisone injections for the rest of her life.
Ms Williamson decided she didn’t want that future for Narla and threw herself in to researching natural and holistic remedies – three years later, Narla is nine and full of life.
Ms Williamson started studying all things canine nutrition and health to keep her furry family healthy, using her background to kickstart the process.
What she discovered was there were natural remedies that could save Narla – and other dogs.
Now she’s discovered a gap in the market and sells dried animal products including fish knot, goat’s ear with fur, shark cutlets, filled chicken hoof, salmon tails and veal scrolls as healthy treats for pups alongside health supplements and enrichment toys.
“I’ve worked in pretty much every part of the animal industry, from being a vet nurse all the way through to cremations and everything in between,” she said.
“I study everything to do with my products … they’re all Australian, all natural.
“I study how it’s farmed, I study how it’s dried and what the family eat … I am the most fussy person when it comes to my dogs.”
Her family and friends asked her to help other people’s pets – but it took a lot of persuading before her business started in 2022.
“My family and friends said ‘Merridy, you’ve got to help everybody, you know so much’,” she said.
“I said ‘no, it’s not happening’ … they did that for about four years, and now I have a business.”
Her doggie treats are sold in local markets and in dog-friendly hotels across the northern suburbs including the Prince Albert Hotel – with the hopes to offer treats in Gawler hotels in the future.
Despite Narla being the reason Ms Williamson started her business, Ms Williamson’s disability service labrador, Thor, is a key part of the team – known for his charismatic personality and presence at local markets.
Wool Chambers
Salisbury North
Russian-born Luba Chambers has had a passion for art and crafts for as long as she can remember, starting with her father, an amateur artist and Russian historian who taught her to paint.
Aged 10, she moved to Australia and over the years her passions for fibre craft grew.
“I’ve always wanted to run my own business, I just didn’t know what exactly it was going to be … this is what I love, I love fibre,” Ms Chambers, 37, said.
“I’ve been using it for 20 years and to be able to immerse myself in that, it’s just amazing.”
In 2013 Luba reconnected with Jon – now her husband of eight years – and the two embarked on a journey of different business ventures, an Etsy store and more.
But a single Facebook post opened a door they didn’t expect, and now a waiting list of buyers willing to split shipping for bulk fibre has turned into a revolutionary sale strategy that keeps customers happy nationwide.
“I put a post up asking if anyone would be interested in splitting and dividing it up into little packs,” the mum-of-two said.
“I thought if I get maybe like three or four people, then it would be worth ordering it and I had about 20 people message me, I had a whole list.”
Now the family have a small purpose-built “wool shed” in their backyard and their young family have total control and flexibility over their work, and are reaping the rewards.
“I get to win some and that’s exciting that if I work really smart, if I work really hard, there actually is a reward at the end,” Mr Chambers said.
Chilli Sauce Distributors
Elizabeth, Munno Para and more
They were together when they were young, but went separate ways until 2009 – when Jane, 56, met back up with now-husband Garry Arden, 58.
Their blossoming relationship meant working in security and driving trucks wouldn’t sustain them and so starting a business together seemed perfect to kick off a new life together as well.
“I had seen this chilli product and approached the distributor for the old company, and that’s where it began,” Ms Arden said.
Now the couple have been building their empire of heat for 17 years, with them supporting local crafters – and in turn – their suppliers supporting them.
“We love what we do … our customers love what we bring them and we have several world champion sauces on our stand,” she said.
The Ardens and their chilli distribution business can be found in shopping centres from Munno Para to Colonnades, with stops in Elizabeth and Castle Plaza in between.
But watch this space, as their future is sure to bring some hot new – potentially permanent – arrivals from across the country.
Soul Movement Studio
Suburb: Para Hills West
Years of experience in the fitness industry led Melissa Leigh-Cox, 46, to work at Soul Movement Studio – where mindfulness and fitness come together – and it became her happy place.
But two years ago the original owner decided to sell – and Ms Leigh-Cox and co-worker Meagan Williams, 29, were offered the chance to take the reins.
“I worked for the previous owner and was the first actual fitness instructor there … Meagan also worked there a little before, she was a member originally who worked in admin and wanted a change.”
“When she (the former owner) was ready to sell, she came to me and said ‘look, you love this place more than I did, so you should be the one running it’.”
Over past two years the pair have had complex leasing disagreements, but the “work wifeys” have now settled the foundations and are better than ever.
“Luckily for me (Meagan) is the admin queen and very organised, so we just complement each other so well, because I’m like the energiser bunny,” Ms Leigh-Cox said.
“And we have always got each other’s backs, always willing to pick up what the other one can’t … our favourite phrase is ‘I’ve got you’.”
Now Soul is their happy place all over, and Ms Leigh-Cox enjoys getting to foster the same feeling for their clients.
“It’s getting back to the core of what Soul was created on … being a wellness hub, which is just awesome.”
Garden Goodness
Smithfield, Port Adelaide
It started in Peter Heidenreich’s backyard as a way to supplement his income working in retail – and now with the help of his sister Alison, the pair’s business is blooming.
Worm farms were the name of the game early in the business – previously trading as the Worm Firm – but as the 26-year-old’s brain child grew, they needed more space.
“Mum and Dad put their foot down … ‘you’re not putting pallets of products in the backyard, so you better find yourself a place’ – in the nicest way possible,” Ms Heindenreich said.
“We ended up finding a place we could rent, a banged up old shed on Anderson Walk in Smithfield.”
The Heidenreichs’ business continued to expand, and a choice to brighten up their Smithfield location turned into a blooming business – now named Garden Goodness.
“Then Peter made the fatal mistake of introducing some plants to liven the place up … it went from 10 plants to 20 plants to 40 plants and then specific plants,” the 30-year-old said.
“Now we probably have around 2000 plants of all types, fruit trees, seasonal vegetables, herbs, indoor plants.”
Now a new location in Port Adelaide is in the cards, and an expansion to the original Smithfield shop.
Happy Dog Pet Food
Edinburgh North
It was a return to their roots – and original location – when Sophie and Tony Koumi started up their local pet food shop in Edinburgh North again.
The married couple of 34 years have been a team for 22, with Ms Koumi, 58, serving customers and sharing nutritional wisdom, while Mr Koumi, 59, is the “creative” behind the scenes.
“I’m more of a people person and I love it when people come in with their dogs and we can build a rapport,” Ms Koumi said.
“I act as a communication point between customers and production, which is (Mr Koumi’s) role to produce products that I know people want.
Ms Koumi said her husband came from a background in human consumption and poultry and wanted to improve the food we give our furry friends.
“He just wanted to lift the standard of pet food in terms of cleanliness of store, quality of project and all of that,” Ms Koumi said.
Happy Dog Pet Food continues to be family-run after its reopening in May last year, with the Koumis’ son learning the ropes so the brand can continue into the future.
Bakmi Lim
Salisbury
They work as a registered nurse and a pharmacist – but their real passion is making noodles.
Michelle Lai, 25, and her boyfriend Jun Yong, 28, opened Bakmi Lim in January in Salisbury’s Hollywood plaza during the centre’s $20m facelift renovations.
“We both had full-time jobs but wanted something of our own to work on,” Ms Lai said.
“Bakmi Lim is a franchise and we’ve both loved the food there for many years – hence starting our own one up in the northern suburbs.”
The young couple began dating about two years ago.
“Working together is a very interesting dynamic for sure, there are so many issues to navigate, for example not taking constructive criticism personally,” Ms Lai said.
“Overall, it has definitely made us stronger as we complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses to come together as a team.”
But no matter the challenge, Ms Lai said her favourite part of running Bakmi Lim was hearing her customers praise the food.
“I am genuinely so passionate about the food we make and nothing makes me happier than hearing a customer say they enjoyed their meal.”
Babelicious Hair Studio
Suburb: Craigmore
After working in salons for a number of years, Elsa Hagan dreamt of the independence of working for herself.
But it was just a dream until her partner Chris Rafferty came in to her life.
“It wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for him,” the 25-year-old said.
“Being able to help me and push me behind the scenes so I can achieve my dream.”
Now Ms Hagan runs Babelicious Hair Studio out of her home in Craigmore, and said the independence has helped her grow her skills and connections with clients.
“When you work in a salon, it’s really hard to put all your love and care into your work because you’ve got so many expectations when you work for someone else,” she said.
“So having my own salon, the biggest thing is being able to build relationships with clients, and a lot of them are now like family.”
The relationships she fosters allow her to be more transparent, and foster a trust she didn’t have before.
Ms Hagan is excited for her clients to see her new under-construction, purpose-built salon out the back of her Craigmore home.
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