Room Recipe

Belinda Hills' exciting new venture into the world of retailing, called Recipe Room, is an interesting and eclectic mixture of home decorations (for want of a better word), and food. The newly renovated shop is at 79 Bathurst St, in the vicinity of places like Siam Garden (Thai restaurant), Bridges Bros etc.

She has only been open for 3 weeks but is already gaining a strong following in this niche market. With a background in both shopping centre management and Mothers Market production, she is ideally placed to enthusiastically present her goods in the best possible light. Trying not to duplicate the already existing homeware shops such as Habitat and In House is a challenge but one that Belinda is currently facing, and as such, doing an excellent job of providing an alternative outlet.

At the moment, I myself would go there for that special present for one of my many friends who appreciate something different, and obviously not bought at Shiploads!

She has a changing repertoire of lines, using the logic that what sells she’ll re-order and what doesn’t, she won’t stock again – a wise business move in this current economic climate, where having stock (for this read ‘money’) sitting idly on a shelf not selling is clearly a no-brainer!

I bought a lovely cook book there, and will be returning for the ankle length gardening gumboots (in black, red or green) for my winter gardening exploits.

The food component of the shop is a collection of various exclusive chocolates and sweets, biscuits, and assorted food goodies designed to enhance your general enjoyment of the finer things in life.

Belinda has sound marketing sense as well, and already has established an online presence in the form of e-newsletters highlighting various new additions to her stable of goodies.

I recommend a trip to Room Recipe to check out her wares, and see if there’s anything she carries that you fancy.