Shopping on Chapel Street is what everyone thinks of when they hear the term “Fashion Capital of Australia.” South Yarra is a hub for fashion, sales and luxury, and I love seeing the excitement on someone’s face when they visit for the first time.
The stores range from the pinnacle of opulence to edgy grunge fashion, and each shopper is made to feel looked after, welcomed and comfortable no matter the store. A big part of this, outside the obvious, is each store’s perfect climate, no matter the weather outside.
I own one of the stores on Chapel Street, so I know how important feeling physically comfortable is to the shopping experience. When the climate is correctly controlled, I often find people spend more time in my store to either escape the heat or the cold. This is obviously excellent for business, which is why I ensure my store undergoes air conditioner maintenance periodically.
I’ve found my air conditioner to be one of the most important factors impacting shopper comfort, which in the end, is one of the essential needs I am here to satisfy. You often hear the term “happy wife, happy life” but I like to say “satisfied shopper, satisfying sales”, because in the end, fostering a positive purchase environment is going to foster sales.
If you think about it, how often have you heard of people retreating to shopping centres to escape the weather? Growing up in Melbourne, that’s a regular weekend. Even today I find myself unable to leave the comfort of air conditioning. South Yarra stores can be sure that the only time I will enter a store is with a faultless air conditioner.
When I close my eyes, I will always fantasize about shopping and the joy it brings. Even as a shop owner myself, the twelve-year-old girl in me is giddy at the thought of fashion, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.