Boroondara shops: Where to find the best Christmas gifts
Where is the best place to shop for Christmas gifts this silly season? Boroondara traders reckon they have got you covered.
Inner East
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Christmas is just around the corner and Boroondara traders are encouraging people to support small businesses by shopping locally this silly season.
Kerry Daly, of the Camberwell Centre Association, said retailers in neighbourhood shopping strips like Camberwell Junction relied on the Christmas trading period to keep their businesses alive.
She said their convenient location, range of products, fun activities and ease of parking made them a more attractive place to visit compared with the big shopping centres.
“Most people love the idea of having shops close by,’’ she said.
“This is where their kids tend to get their first jobs and they are likely to bump into their neighbours and be acknowledged as a regular by friendly staff.
“But they do need to understand that if they don’t do their shopping (here) or dine or use the local services regularly, they may not be there in the future.”
Maling Road Business Association’s Athena Katopodis said shop owners were happy to help customers find the perfect gift for their loved ones.
“This year Maling Rd will be completely lit up with Christmas lights, from the trees to all of the shop windows. Many houses around us are decorated also, so it’s worth a visit as it gets dark to bring the family for a walk around Maling Rd and surrounding streets,” she said.
Con Barbayannis, president of the Kew Junction Business Association, said the growth in popularity of online shopping made things tough for traditional bricks and mortar stores, but the quality of service provided by small businesses was second to none.
He predicted environmentally-conscious gifts would be popular this year, including metal straws and reusable sandwich wraps.
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“I feel if you offer great service, competitive prices and genuinely care and take an interest in your local shopper, then you have a competitive advantage that cannot be copied by the online retailers and large shopping centres,” he said.
Auburn Village Traders Association secretary Claire Nelson said shop owners knew their customers well and had built a relationship with them over the years, which meant they were better positioned to match them with an item that suited their interests.
She said handmade soaps, Christmas hampers and beautiful perfumes were always firm favourites as gifts and were included among the vast array of items found at Auburn Village.
Boroondara’s shopping strips are also hosting special events over the Christmas period this year, including Camberwell Junction’s Christmas Family Day on December 14, Maling Road’s Kristkindl event on December 6, Kew Junction’s Twilight Christmas Gift Market on December 6, and Auburn Village’s Late Night Shopping evening on December 5.