Glenferrie Shop Fronts

A shop front aims to attract, engage and entice. They are the interface between the business and the community. Shop fronts reflect the vibrancy of a street.

Between Glenferrie and Burwood Roads there is over 1.5km of main road with shop fronts interspersed with office buildings, pubs, churches, a university, arts centre and petrol stations.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions and orders to stay at home, some shop front businesses were struggling and closing, generally citing online shopping and high rents. However, the pandemic related restrictions have accelerated the decline of some businesses. With a bleak economic outlook for Victoria, a few shops at the end of their lease have taken the opportunity to vacate Glenferrie Hawthorn. The tally of vacant shops is mounting.

A flourishing local economy is core to a vibrant community. Passionate local community member and former Mayor of the City of Hawthorn Jane Nathan explains that empty shops reflect “silenced stories [and] leaves the onlooker without an enlightened spirit, without hope.”

As residents emerge from Melbourne’s stage 4 lockdown, businesses that remain in Glenferrie Hawthorn should continue to inspire and invite with fabulous and welcoming shop fronts. The community are urged to continue supporting these businesses and shop local. As for those empty shops, which are an opportunity waiting to be snapped up as our economy rebuilds, we call on their owners to get on board with livening up and transforming these blank canvases into a showcase of our connected local community.

Vacant shops could tell stories by our local school children, cross-promote local businesses, display artwork, quotes that make us smile, or feature spring flowers. Shops full of interest and quirk will ‘activate’ the spaces and bring our community out to see, look and talk – the street will be alive

and vibrant.

Property owners with vacant shops can get in touch with The Glenferrie Times to take part (at no or minimal cost) in awakening your commercial space. We will arrange activation of your shop front.

As Jane explains “Let’s use the empty window spaces and vacant footpaths to help us not only lift our spirits, but also fill them with ideas to invigorate our future.”

We can each play our part - residents, visitors, businesses and property owners.