Shop in Ballarat and spread the joy

THE festive season, a time for giving and sharing which Ballarat does so well, is almost here.

Each year the community comes together for things like carols by candlelight and generously donates to the 3BA Christmas Appeal.

In the spirit of seasonal support Jodie Gillett, CEO of Commerce Ballarat, encourages shoppers to consider how fortunate they are to have a quality choice of local products and services from which to choose.

“If we all stop for a moment and think, I am sure that we have witnessed our schools, community and sporting groups and charities supported by our local business community on many occasions,” she said.

“It is important to remember to return the favour when you are spending your all-important dollars at this time of year.”

Liz Green, owner of The Foundry, prides herself on the uniqueness of the stock she carries in her homewares and clothing store.

She always sources different and exclusive items so shoppers can rest assured they won’t see them anywhere else in Ballarat.

Ms Green said her customer base is mostly local, stretching from Hamilton to Stawell and she has a price bracket that will suit any pocket.

“I want to give anyone who walks into my store an experience,” she said.

“They can have a coffee, take a wander around and I am happy to share the stories of each item with them.”

Woolshed Clothing’s proprietor Danielle Hunter offers the same personal service to her customers.

She has a loyal following with 70 per cent of her business coming from the local community.

“Some of our male customers come in regular as clockwork to buy two or three new jumpers each winter,” she said.

“We have a woman who comes by taxi from Warrnambool once a year and refreshes her wardrobe to the tune of $1000.

“Other times we may have two or three generations of women from one family shopping together.”

Ms Hunter said she loves buying and stocking the store with beautiful clothing and footwear.

She goes out of her way to service each customer’s needs knowledgably and with a smile.

Pat Shaw and his staff also know every minute detail about the bikes they sell at Shaw’s Cycling.

They build each of them in store and have been doing so for almost 40 years.

“We are able to give experienced advice to our customers, particularly for people buying a bike for the first time,” Mr Shaw said. “It is important that the height or size of the bike fits perfectly for each rider.

“Buying bikes from a catalogue or online is really a waste of time, you need to be able get on it before you buy it.”

With kid’s bikes Mr Shaw said they are happy to remove the training wheels once the child is riding comfortably and will adjust the height each year as they grow.

Ballarat Toyworld is another business which specialises in helping parents.

As an independently owned store within the Toyworld buying group the shop has access to a vast range.

Manager Sue Fothergill said 90 per cent of her customers are from the area and she often sees the mums and dads same time each year.

Just like Shaw’s Cycling, Ms Fothergill and her staff are experts at helping choose an age appropriate gift.

“It’s no use giving a three-year-old something that is designed for the over 10s,” she said. “However, every Christmas without a doubt the best-selling item is Lego. From ages one to 100 Lego does the trick every time.”

The range at Alexa’s Treasures is possibly the equal to that at Toyworld but more for the adults in the family rather that the children.

Having said that, owner Kim Sascia said they have enough jewellery and beautiful things to cater for everyone.

“Jewellery buying is a matter of trust,” she said. “Very rarely does a customer leave her empty handed, we have something for every taste and every budget.”

The store stocks pieces across a wide variety of stones and gemstones, silver and gold, antique and vintage costume jewellery as well as glassware, china, silverware and statues.

Wilson’s Fruit and Vegetables, who have been feeding the community for over 50 years, strive to ensure the quality of their produce is the best it can be.

They deal directly with farmers and suppliers and the fruit and vegetables come into the store daily and in most cases have been picked the day before.

“By supporting us you are supporting regional Victoria and regional Australia,” Melanie Fulcher from Wilson’s Fruit and Vegetables said. “We make sure we know the story behind the product because people come to us expecting us to have a bit more knowledge than the supermarkets.”

Noor Hassan’s dessert and catering business Lilly Love Cakes has only been in operation for five months, not 50 years.

However, her dedication to the quality of her product and her support of local suppliers is in the same realm as Wilson’s.

Her care and attention to detail in all her desserts and cakes is a key driver in her business and Ms Hassan describes herself as a baking addict.

“I eat with my eyes first,” she said. “Everything I bake has to look even better than it tastes.”

Commerce Ballarat is committed to encouraging both community and business to spend their dollars locally for many reasons.

Reducing escape spending creates the opportunity to maintain legacy businesses such as Wilson’s and Shaw’s.

It also generates jobs and encourages new entrepreneurs like Ms Hassan which leads to a healthy local economy.

“Our ultimate goal must be to provide employment in this city for the majority of residents as opposed to seeing many take their skills externally to find jobs,” said Ms Gillett.

Successful businesses in the city have an evident focus on customer service often built on decades of experience.

There is a proud acknowledgement of friendly competition and a common theme of active community support.