The Strip: Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento, Victoria

 

Ragtrader regularly investigates how key shopping strips in regional Australia are faring. Melinda Oliver explores Sorrento on Victoria's coast.

As a veteran of retailing in Sorrento, store owner Deb Fletcher has long survived the inconsistencies of trade in the beachside holiday destination. With crowds fluctuating from Boxing Day until late January, then dropping off throughout winter, it can be a challenging climate for buying, planning sales and staffing.

"We are the second-longest-lasting business in the area after Hotel Sorrento, making us date back to over 35 years ago," she says. "It's the individual stores that set us apart from other shopping centres.”

Fletcher runs womenswear boutiques Debs and Naturally Debs and believes it is her unique mix of Australian and international designer labels that has ensured success. In 2011, she is considering launching into the e-commerce sphere so that holidaymakers can continue to purchase goods when they leave Sorrento.

Despite thriving, Fletcher and other business owners on the street are facing growing competition from big name retailers such as Witchery, Blue Illusion, Seed and Gazman, which all have locations in the small coastal hub.

Sorrento-based designer Jenny Scott says the influx of big-name retailers is reflective of rising rental prices, which she says have been "pushed up and beyond the reasonable expectations of normal businesses".

"The big chains can pay the rent and market and sell an image,” she says. “We can't afford to do that.”

She would like to see more local businesses encouraged to open stores on Ocean Beach Road, in order to keep Sorrento unique from the big cities.

"My biggest fear for Sorrento is that it becomes an outlet [for major retailers].”
Scott remains steadfast in her business strategy, for which she designs and produces clothing in an on-site studio. She also buys in womenswear brand Motto.

"People come over from Hong Kong and overseas and they want to take a picture [of the store] as they say it is like it is at home," she says.

Fellow store operator Linda Greenberger has managed Rosie's Lingerie on the street for 15 years and says the array of shops has quadrupled over this period. Like Fletcher, she believes competing with the big names comes down to unique product offer and diversity.

To cater for a varied audience, she offers Australian and international labels such as Lovable, Bendon, Elle Macpherson, Simone Perle, Passionata and Oroton.

Her top sellers are bras and nightwear. Throughout winter 2010 she says Sorrento retail suffered from very harsh weather, which kept visitor numbers down.

However, during the busy summer periods she says shoppers are willing to take time for correct bra fittings and are generally happy to spend.

Mid-sized womenswear brand Feathers has also had a home on the street for around 15 years. Owner Margaret Porritt says it is really important for Feathers to have a presence in the popular town.

"It provides our customers the opportunity to shop with us when they are on holiday and have more time for themselves," she says. "Holidaying in Sorrento and [nearby] Portsea can also be a very social time for people, so customers appreciate being able to pick up a new outfit for an occasion."

Porritt says the Sorrento store has more colour in its visual merchandising than a typical Feathers city store.

"We make sure the product reflects what people require and want as coastal residents.”
Porritt credits the introduction of the Eastlink Freeway from Melbourne to Sorrento for a general increase in visitors in recent years. She would like to see all-day parking to encourage day trip visitors to the beach to stay and shop.

"Promotional events including twilight festivals are something that the council is currently working on, which would be a fantastic benefit to all.”