Main Street is not a very common term that is used in Australia.

A main street is the primary retail street of a:

• business precinct
• town centre
• business activity centre
• shopping precinct
• shopping strip or
• shopping village

in your local community.

You probably know or refer to your local main street as:

The shops

“… just going to the shops.”

The local

“… just heading to the local… we need XYZ.”

or  perhaps, you know your local business community and business owners so well, that it sounds as if they were a friend

“… just heading to see [insert name of friendly business owner here] to grab X,Y, Z”

I like to think of main streets as:

Social, cultural, vibrant, grassroots meeting places in our neighbourhood that we interact with in different ways that are filled with a diverse range of independently and mostly family owned/operated shops and retailers such as:

• grocery shops
• banks
• medical clinics
• veterinary clinics
• cafes
• beauty salons
• accountants
• butchers
• the local pub
• bakeries
• physiotherapists
• restaurants
• art galleries
• live music venues
• clothing
• panel beaters
• mechanics
• gelaterias
• DIY and hardware
• industrial
• real estate
• service based professionals
• book shops
• homewares
• major retailers and more

From an economic perspective, they offer a huge range of employment opportunities, market local businesses, boost local economies and investment, increase tourism visitation and play such an active role in our everyday lives.

As you can see, a main street is so much more than we think.

They are places where great memories and moments have taken place in our local community, and often set the scene for a great story.

They are places where great memories and moments have taken place in our local community… and often set the scene for a great story!

I grew up, studied, played and worked in Melbourne’s North (Reservoir, Preston, Brunswick, Coburg, Carlton and Northcote) and have a Lebanese background.

My Baba (Dad) was the first person in his family (he has 8 brothers and 5 sisters) to come to Australia. He worked at a famous dessert shop and served an Australian Ambassador in Lebanon that encouraged him to come to Australia and start a business.

Leaving his family, he travelled and worked all over the Nation and decided to settle in Victoria, where he opened his first business on a main street in Lygon Street, Carlton.

He’s one of the hardest workers I know (I got my work ethic, style and humour from him), and because of his success as a business owner, was able to bring his entire family from Lebanon to Melbourne, Australia.

and we are all here because he said yes to an opportunity and started a business in a Victorian main street and to this day, still makes the most amazing Middle Eastern desserts.

but how wonderful to think that there are so many other families out there, that have a similar story.

Do you or your family have a similar story?

🏪 if you operate a commercial business in Victoria, and are interested in establishing your own incorporated business association in your shopping precinct, please get in touch with Rania Fayad from Yellow Round Table to discuss.

Want to find out more about Rania Fayad and Yellow Round Table?

• Rania provided a presentation at the metropolitan and regional Mainstreet Australia Conference on ‘how to establish a main street marketing and business development fund.
• Rania is listed as a consultant on the Mainstreet Australia website. Mainstreet Australia is the peak industry body that advocates for local shopping precincts. You can read my consulting profile here.
• Check out the Yellow Round Table website and read more about my services, experiences and how I can help your business association.
• You can follow Yellow Round Table on Instagram. 
• You can sign up to my monthly emails (this is where I share the most value) by heading on over to my website.
• Follow Yellow Round Table on LinkedIn.
• Connect with Rania Fayad on LinkedIn.
• Book in a free 15 minute discovery call.