5 amazing small businesses to experience in Melbourne and regional Victoria

Sneaker interest and collecting is booming, and KICKSTW is one of the best sneaker shops in the state. Perched in Melbourne’s Royal Arcade, the store features a massive collection of hype sneakers along with streetwear and accessories. As some sneakers are often released in highly competitive scheduled drops, it can be hard for the average consumer to get their hands on a limited-edition pair of kicks from brands such as Nike, Jordan, Adidas and New Balance. Enter sneakerhead Steven Wei, who built KICKSTW from the ground up and can be found sporting Nike Air Jordan 1 x Dior sneakers as he helps shoppers find their perfect model to wear or collect.

Little Lon Distilling Co. is one of Melbourne’s newest gin-fluencers. Residing in the heritage-listed Casselden Place – the last remaining red-brick single story house in the CBD – Little Lon creates spirits that celebrate Melbourne’s boozy former red-light district. For example, one of Little Lon’s creations, Miss Yoko, is inspired by the Chinese madam Yokohama, who lived in the cottage and ran it as a brothel back in the 1920s. Little Lon’s handcrafted spirits are made entirely from scratch – a rarity for modern day distilleries. Plus, the botanicals used at Little Lon (excluding the juniper berries that must form the base of all gin), such as herbs and citrus, are sourced from the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne.

Plant-based meat has seen increasing consumer demand over the past few years, with more vegetarian and vegan options on restaurant menus and supermarket shelves than ever before. In fact, meat and dairy substitutes purchased at Australian supermarkets grew by 29 per cent between 2018 and 2022, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. And when it comes to shopping for poultry, many Australians prefer to buy their meat (real or plant-based) from independent butchers. Enter The Kynd Butcher: a 100 per cent plant-based butchery headed by Amanda Lethlean. She sells vegetarian and vegan-friendly sausages, bacon, burger patties, roasts, deli meats and more at her Ascot Vale shop. If you’re considering a plant-based Christmas lunch this year, pay a visit to The Kynd Butcher.

Regional Victoria is home to many excellent pie shops. The Store Deans Marsh, an old corner shop that sees customers driving in specifically for a hearty, chunky pie or sausage roll, is one of the state’s best. Chief pie marker Dean has worked for The Store for over 27 years, while owner Virginia Morton says that beef and red wine is a favourite flavour with customers. Everything at The Store is cooked fresh, with ingredients from local suppliers. The shop has come a long way from the 1902 Cobb & Co. post it began as, now evolving into a local posting point, café, pie shop and homewares store.

Olive oil is a staple in the kitchen, but that doesn't mean it can't also be luxuriously good. Cape Schanck Olive Estate on the Mornington Peninsula features 2,000 olive trees with five varieties of olives, each producing a different taste profile. After harvesting, the estate's olives are pressed at their onsite mill using traditional practices. It's no wonder that Cape Schanck Olive Estate was the winner of two Gold and two Silver Awards at the 2020 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.