On the west side of the train tracks, a short walk away from Yarraville Village, is this cute-as-a-button boutique partywear shop. It's filled with old-school kids' toys, but also a fantastic range of paper plates and cups, Cath Kidman goodies, candy jars, porcelain and a whole room ('The Bake Shop') devoted to baking, including some gorgeous cake stands. It's no surprise to learn that co-owner Simone Norris is a graphic designer by trade, and the first products she came up with and sold online was the gorgeous stationery, which she still stocks. The online store has existed for eight years, in fact. She teamed up with marketing whiz Amanda Edwards and opened this physical shop in early 2013.
The pair frequently put on in-store events, which might cover food styling or household tips, delivered over a glass of champagne. "You can't just be a shop with an open door anymore, expecting people to bowl you over," she notes. Given that this pocket of Yarraville has a real community feel, Norris often brainstorms ideas with neighbouring shops like Chalk and Mosey. Our advice? Check the whole lot out – they're all within a coo-ee of each other.