Alice Springs in the Northern Territory is Australia's most inland town, and also something of a challenge for fashion consumers and retailers. With the nearest bigger cities - Darwin and Adelaide - each being around 1,500 km away, locals fall back on the offer in town itself.
The pedestrian Todd Mall with shopping centres Alice Plaza and Springs Plaza is the town's retail hub, lined with souvenir shops, galleries and eateries but a distinct lack of fashion boutiques. Customers and boutique owners alike criticise what "the Alice" has to offer in terms of clothing.
Even the government is aware of the problem, with Kon Vatskalis, Minister for Regional Development, congratulating Alice Springs in a media announcement last year on the news that discount department store Target was planning to open in the Alice Plaza in October 2008, saying: "This is fantastic news for Alice Springs. First K-Mart, then Harvey Norman, now Target. I would like to congratulate Alice Plaza on their successful negotiations and trust this will be a big win for the Alice Springs community and will add to their retail shopping experience."
Furthermore, many boutique owners saw Target as a welcome addition rather than fierce new competition. "No matter what, it is just good to have a wider offer," says a sales assistant at Rockmans. She describes the range in store as a lot more casual than in other Rockmans boutiques. "Polos and three-quarter-length pants are currently a big to LOWDOWN
Location: 1,499 km south of Darwin, 1,532 km north of Adelaide
Population: 26,486 (census 2006)
Brands: Rockmans, Ariat, Akubra, RM Williams, Wrangler, Blue Dog