What's Selling In: Port Fairy, Victoria

"Cha-ching!" would be an apt way of describing Port Fairy's retail climate during the annual folk festival. Just ask local boutique owner Lizzie Carter-Gapes, who's been manning the register for more than eight years. "The business that I make in that one weekend pays for my entire winter order."

Staged over the Labour Day long weekend in March, the festival attracts over 100 acts and 500 artists to the small seaside "village". According to Carter-Gapes, the population swells from a modest 3000 local residents to 30,000 tourists.

"That's why I keep my products and brands as diverse as possible - I have small gifts and cosmetics in the store that sell for $20 to Trelise Cooper dresses that sell for over $1000," she says. "I'd say 80 per cent of my customers are tourists."

Other designer labels stocked by Lizzie's of Port Fairy include Moss & Spy, Sabatini, Nicola Waite and Morrison while Metalicus, Mini Metalicus and Marco Polo provide more affordable entry points. Spanish footwear brand Paco Herrero is also on offer along with Italian shoe label Neo and a select range of headwear for the racing seasons. Naturally, fascinators and frocks are strong sellers during this lucrative period.

"Last season, I had an 80 per cent sell-through of my Trelise Cooper collection," Carter-Gapes says. "We've also got some pretty accessories to go with the outfits." Isabella's boutique owner Fiona Cavanagh says alongside the annual folk festival, racing season is indeed an important one for local retailers.

"Tourists and locals buy hats for the Spring Racing Carnival sure, but [nearby town] Warrnambool also has the winter races in May which are also very popular," she says. "There's no chain stores in Port Fairy at all so it's absolute retail heaven for women - fantastic boutiques, a nice shoe store, great food, bookshops."

Aside from her headwear offering, Cavanagh also stocks "easy to wear" lifestyle brands such as Line 7 and Meredith and a range of semi-precious and silver jewellery. The boutique owner, who noticed an absence of local menswear stores when she opened Isabella's over a year ago, also recently introduced Line 7's men's range to her portfolio of brands. 

A wise move during quieter trading periods. "Port Fairy's seasonal so it gets very quiet during the winter week -the big trade off for us is the holiday season and some weekends," she says. "I've only had the Line 7 men's range for over month but I'm [certain] it will perform well."

Lowdown
Location: 290km west of Melbourne
Population: 2600
Stores: Isabella's, Lizzie's of Port Fairy
Brands: Sabatini, Trelise Cooper, Moss & Spy, Metalicus, Paco Herrero, Neo, Nicola Waite, Line 7, Meredith. 

By Assia Benmedjdoub