Three female-owned Chinchilla businesses launch joint venture

Three Chinchilla entrepreneurs are making waves after opening their shared business space along the main street with hopes their combined services will empower Western Downs women.

Business owners Rel Marxsen, Brooke Harding and Skye Burke together took the leap to open up shop on Chinchilla's main street.

Three Chinchilla women who were all looking to transition their home businesses to having a shopfront have joined forces by opening a shared space that has freshened up the town’s main street,

The trio opened their doors six weeks ago and in that time it has become a hub for Western Downs women seeking the services of a florist, lash technician and cosmetic injectables clinic.

Owners Rel Marxsen, Brooke Harding and Skye Burke opened up the doors to the collective space on Chinchilla’s main street after tackling their respective businesses’ expansions together.

LashXtend’s Rel Marxsen said the idea to share a space came from word of mouth around town after hearing other women were also looking to rent a premises.

“Brooke advertised on Facebook for a space, and then a man contacted me about it, and just through word of mouth we met and then it felt like we had known each other forever,” Ms Marxsen said.

Rel Marxsen and Brooke Harding met each other through this experience and look forward to growing their businesses. Picture: Chloe Cufflin.

“It’s all just come together. We come and go in our own time.”

Formerly running her own cleaning business, Ms Marxsen made the switch to becoming a lash technician 12 months ago after she was inspired by her niece.

“My niece down in Victoria was doing it and I thought I’d give it a go and then I fell in love with it,” she said.

“It’s great because you get women who come in here with no lashes and I get girls who have been on chemo and then I can give them something they haven’t had for a long time.

“I love the confidence it gives them, it makes them feel beautiful.”

LashXtend owner Rel Marxsen said she loves making women feel confident about themselves. Picture: Chloe Cufflin.

Florist Brooke Harding, who owns The Bloom Room, said other than reduced rent costs, there’s a number of benefits to sharing the same space including increased foot traffic.

“That (rent) probably comes into it, but I think it’s more of me having this space and they have the traffic (from clients),” Ms Harding said.

“Constantly having people through brings people into this space as well.

“The more foot traffic the better, it’s women all coming to a collective space.

“We bounce ideas as well, there’s been times I’ve been thinking of doing something and Rel is like ‘you should do it this way’.

The Bloom Room Chinchilla owner Brooke Harding is an experienced florist with six years under her belt. Picture: Chloe Cufflin.

“Because there’s no competition between the three, we’re all very different so there’s no clashing.

“We are women from three different worlds who have different looks on things, and it can work in the advantage of running a business.”

Ms Harding said the three of them agreed they wanted to bring a “fresh idea” to Chinchilla and “be a point of difference” in town.

She said so far the community has responded positively to the joint venture and they’ve received overwhelming support from Facebook community groups.

“People think ‘wow what a difference in Chinchilla.’

“They think it’s cool that three women have come together and created something.

“For us to get out there and give it a shot.”

The Bloom Room specialises in selling dried flower arrangements.

While The Bloom Room has become the second florist to open up on Chinchilla’s main strip, Ms Harding said she’s determined to have her own niche and wants both florists to flourish.

“She’s been here a long time in Chinchilla and I didn’t want to step on toes.

“I don’t do fresh flowers, I only do dried, and I want to keep it that way so there is no competition, so she’s still got her niche.

“I don’t want to have that competition, I want her to feel she’s still got that space.”

When Ms Harding isn’t running the shop, she often assembles both fresh and dried flower arrangements for weddings and other special events.

The Bloom Room, LashXtend and Clinical Beauty are all located at 69B Heeney St, Chinchilla QLD 4413.