Von-Routte: Bondi Beach shoe store offers discount to Covid vaccine recipients

A cult-favourite shoe brand, who has been offering a hefty discount to anyone who can prove they’ve had their Covid shot, wants their closed store to be used as a vaccine hub.

A cult favourite Bondi shoe brand giving big discounts to customers who’ve had the jab wants to go a step further and offer the lifesaving vaccine to be administered in store.

While they’ve kept up a presence online, Von-Routte’s flagship store at Bondi Beach has been closed since June 26 in line with lockdown regulations.

Its proudly pro-vax owners Marina Tokarski and Gus Agra have been giving vaccinated customers 20 per cent discounts – an impressive saving of around $60 on their popular ethically made shoes which cost around $300 a pair at full price.

Von-Routte founders Gus Agra and Marina Tokarski in their Bondi store.

The couple believe there’s opportunity for idle retail stores to be used to dispense vaccines and they want to be first in line to offer up their store.

“Since our store is closed, we would love to offer it to become a vaccination hub. I bet many other businesses would do the same,” Mr Agra said.

“We know it’s not that simple but it could work on a large scale.”

Mr Agra said since launching their vaccination sale, which is accessed by DMing your vaccine certificate to their Instagram account in exchange for a discount code, he said Von-Routte had been subject to anti-vax rhetoric.

“We strongly believe the vaccine is our best way out of this pandemic,” Mr Agra said.

“When the government gave permission to those under 40 to vaccinate, the promotion just made sense in this context: the more people get the jab, the faster we can go back to our normal lives again, and the safer we’ll be.

“We have a lot of people supporting us which gives us the strength to overcome the hate messages.”

Von Routte joins a growing list of Aussie businesses offering incentives to customers to get the jab.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved Australian businesses to offer the discounts in June – but there are rules attached.

Von-Routte shoes have a cult following.

Businesses cannot make any reference to or compare Covid vaccine brands and they can’t give away tobacco or prescription drugs.

The TGA originally banned alcohol giveaways but after an outcry from beer loving punters, the Prime Minister himself stepped in and the ban was overturned.

Beverage maker Lion is collaborating with Batch Brewing Co to create a “freedom day” beer which will be gifted to jabbed customers at their local Clubs NSW venue when Australia has hit their vaccination targets.

Celebrity chef Luke Mangan will give a free glass of wine to anyone who can prove they are vaxxed when they dine at his award-winning venue Glass in the Hilton in Sydney’s CBD for the first three months after lockdown lifts.

Luke Mangan at his restaurant Glass with some of the free vino. Picture: Richard Dobson

Marrickville based Hawke’s Brewing Co has just wrapped up their Slab for a Jab campaign which encouraged vaxxers to upload a photo a photo of their freshly jabbed arm to Instagram with the first 250 people to receive a free carton of lager.

Ride share operator DiDi is offering a $10 to your vaccination appointment and another $10 voucher for the way back.

Uber Australia is giving away 10,000 free rides to jab appointments for disabled Aussies.