Increasing rents, a boom in reproductions and price-conscious consumers are putting the squeeze on Brisbane's vintage scene, according to retailers specialising in pre-loved fashion.
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La Bella Donna boutique at Morningside will close its doors for the final time on December 13, after the Southside Tea Room next to it announced expansion plans.
Proprietor Bronwyn Small, who bought the business in mid-2013, said she had the option to stay on, but felt the writing was on the wall.
"I knew the rent was coming up for review in January, and I just put the pieces together," she said.
"There's no hard feelings towards them at all."
Ms Small said she had been searching for a new location, but soon realised it would be tough to get somewhere for the approximate $2000 a month rent she currently paid.
"There is nowhere that I have seen where this shop could pay the rent," she said.
"There's a really cute place at Stones Corner I thought would be great, but it's $4000 pre-GST a month. And it's been vacant for months."
Ms Small said she did not buy La Bella Donna to make a fortune, saying the bulk of her income came from a market stall at South Bank on Friday and Saturday nights.
"In my pocket, from this shop, I take in about $120 a week on average. That, for eight hours a day, five days a week, is a fairly third world wage."
"I was happy to live with that, because I knew I could grow it. I think if the rent wasn't so crazy expensive, I would absolutely re-open because I really like it."
Ms Small said she didn't feel bad for herself, but rather for the shop itself.
"Businesses come and go and they die and grow ... but it seems to me that this kind of business doesn't have a place anymore," she said.
"There isn't anywhere for it to be that is sustainable."
Retro Metro at Paddington survived the global financial crisis despite having three properties on Given Terrace operating at once.
But owner Colin Baker said he was forced to reconsolidate back into his original two-story Queenslander cottage by early 2013 due to higher rents, and what he called a "shift in shopping consciousness" sparked by greater job and income insecurity.
"Back then people were more concerned with quality, but now the general person in the street is more concerned with price," he said.
"People come shopping with $20 and that's all they'll spend."
He said online shopping wasn't a huge factor in the decline, as people after vintage and retro clothes often wanted to touch, feel and try on garments.
"We get people in here all the time saying they bought something online but it was too small, or bad quality," he said.
Retro Metro prices began at $3 and $5 dollars, but Mr Baker said some customers objected at the prices for higher-end items, given a boom in high-street shops stocking reproduction fashion.
He said shoppers may not realise why the unique garments were worth more.
"People are calling anything vintage, but what they mean is vintage in style," he said.
"Vintage is specific, it means 50 years or older, anything from the 60s back. You can call 70s, 80s and 90s things retro, but they're not vintage."
Mr Baker said some customers confused vintage and retro shops with charity op shops.
"Op shops get their stock for free and use volunteers to sell that stock," he said.
"We buy our stock and pay our staff."
Mr Baker said higher rents had driven many retailers out of Paddington, with personal services such as beauty & hair salons, professional businesses such as law and accountancy firms, and cafes and restaurants becoming more common.
Mr Baker was pragmatic about survival, saying as a small business he had never relied on government intervention or assistance.
"We can't sit around waiting for things to get better, we have to act accordingly to make sure we can continue to make a living," he said.
"That's why we're capable of changing so quickly, because we're used to it.
"But all landlords have had to address it – the ones that haven't are sitting on empty spaces."
Brisbane Vintage and Retro Clothing Shops
Owner Bronwyn Small is closing her doors on Saturday, December 13. Most stock is heavily discounted, some pieces up to 75 per cent off through her final week of trade. 639b Wynnum Road, Morningside.
Prices start from $3 to $5 at this Paddington institution, and increase depending on the age, quality and manufacturer of the garments. Retro Metro also has a large collection of high-end wares that can be viewed on request. 297 Given Terrace, Paddington.
A true believer in the vintage lifestyle, owner Lisa Enright recently moved from a stand alone store in Clayfield to a space in the Woolloongabba Antique Centre. 22 Wellington Road, Woolloongabba.
A West End favourite, Box Vintage stocks more retro styles, including a famously large selection of T-shirts. 73 Vulture Street, West End.
Described as an Etsy or eBay with the bonus of being able to touch and try on clothes, SWOP also allows customers to get cash or a store credit for bringing in their own unwanted and laundered clothes. Factory 1, 93 Boundary Street, West End.
