Creativeness flows from a bottle of champagne
They say when one door closes, another opens. And for the Eyre Peninsula town of Kimba, when the John Deere dealership shut its doors after servicing the district for 90 years, four farming women and a publican moved in – opening nine new microstores, breathing life back into their beloved hometown.
It was 2019, the region had suffered consecutive drought years, and Kimba’s town centre was taking a hit – with three retail businesses unable to survive the tough conditions.
Enter Workshop 26 -the creative quarters for a group of passionate women who weren’t going to stand by and watch as their town lost valuable businesses and services.
Over a bottle (or more) of champagne, the savvy country chicks came up with the idea to transform the old tractor dealership into a collective space of “shipping container shops”, which is now home to nine businesses, each founded by local makers, collectors and creators.
A rustic fit out and barista-made coffee draws a crowd
Workshop 26 has become a major drawcard at the home of the big Galah, with travellers timing road trips across the Nullarbor or deviating hundreds of kilometres to experience the unique retail space.
Lisa Lock, who helps manage Workshop 26, and also runs her Copy Writing business from the venue, said Kimba locals were highly driven to keep the town sustainable for future generations.
“It’s a matter of asking yourself what you will do to keep your town afloat,” she said. “The spin-off effect of encouraging travellers to stop in our town goes a long way.”
Workshop 26 welcomes visitors with a funky retro caravan, serving up barista-made coffee, before they step inside and have their minds blown by the uniquely rustic fit out of the old tractor store.
Ten shipping containers house a range of vintage wares, preserves and produce, health foods, garden and homewares. You can also watch on as the talented creators do their thing – the resident potter at work at her wheel, a soap maker slicing freshly made bars of soap and a candle maker lining her shipping container shelves with the latest fragrances.
“It’s the most divine and unique venue I’ve ever been to,” – 2022 Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award Winner and Founder and CEO of Motherland Australia, Steph Trethewey.
Take a closer look at Workshop 26 here.
