Council & Politics
31 July, 2024
'Amazing': six stawell businesses awarded grants for shopfront enhancements
Stawell shopfronts get a boost with council's improvement grants.
The Northern Grampians Shire Council awarded six Stawell businesses grants to improve their shopfronts.
The council established the Shopfront Improvement Program to aid shopfronts to improve the vibrancy of Stawell's Main Street.
Ginger & Blonde, Gold Reef Clothing, Industry & Co, Mokepilly Café, Solace Skin & Body, and Sneek A Peek worked with retail design consultants Pop Creative Collective to enhance the presentation of their shopfronts.
"I feel so lucky that I was included in the program," Adrienne Preston, owner of Sneek A Peek Clothing Boutique, said.
"When I bought the business, I created some signage as a temporary measure. It was a rushed job, but it remained there.
"The people from Pop Creative came out; they had some great ideas and listened to what I wanted. They organised a logo and new signage in navy and white with a touch of pink, which was a nod to my mum, who died of breast cancer.
"They did an amazing job. I can't fault it."
In addition to the one-on-one professional design consultancy with Pop Creative Collective, each business received $2000 from the council to assist with shopfront improvements
"This is such a simple, yet powerful program," mayor Rob Haswell said.
"It was a successful pilot and is expected to be available across the whole shire in late 2024.
"I am excited to see how eligible businesses utilised the program to bring some vibrancy to shop fronts."
For more information, including dates for future rounds of the Shopfront Improvement Program, visit https://ngsc.elementorg.com/business-e-news.