The high street where Melbourne’s gumboot queen found her feet
After growing up on a farm in Leongatha South Gippsland, fashionable gumboot guru and chief executive of Melbourne-based footwear brand Merry People Danielle Pearce got her first taste of the city on Swan Street, Richmond.
“I started coming to metro Melbourne 20 years ago and Swan Street is an area I have come in and out of in my life since then,” says Danielle Pearce who launched Merry People 10 years ago.
Merry People owner Danielle Pearce on her love on Swan Street, Richmond. Picture: Supplied
“While studying at Monash University, I also got my first job at G.E Money in Burnley – working in a call centre for three years,” she says.
“I’d catch the No. 70 tram up Swan Street four times a week, and it’s often somewhere I’d go for a drink with colleagues after work. Back then, in the early 2000s it was very different to what it is now. It’s been interesting to watch its transformation. It’s definitely got a great energy and buzzy feel about it now. It’s a great neighbourhood.”
Swan Street, Richmond. Picture: realcommercial.com.au
Pearce was living in Abbotsford and made the move to Richmond with her now husband Nick Pearce (who runs Melbourne based social enterprise HoMie) for a few years in a residential street off Swan Street.
“From walking the dog, to coffees and catch-ups with friends and it’s all happened around this area and it definitely feels like home,” she says.
Merry People even hosted a pop-up at Co.Bake Space on Swan Street a year ago; where glutinous boot behaviour was the order of the day. It’s also a strip Pearce might consider opening a retail store one day – given the ease of access for customers no matter what side of the river you call home in Melbourne.
Danielle Pearce’s memories of Swan Street, Richmond
Early memories
I used to go to Dimmey’s on Swan St back in the day – a landmark building that everyone knew about [it closed in 2012]; and our after-work drinks were always at Holliava, across the road from Richmond Station. Everyone would have drinks on this street before going to the footy too. Funnily enough we now have a Merry People billboard outside the station – it’s been our spot for the past two years and it’s a great way for those on way to the footy to discover us.
View this post on Instagram
What I love about it now
Since having kids it’s where I go to have coffee with my mother’s group and go out for date nights with my husband Nick. Salona Organic Greek Cuisine is one of our favourites. It’s around the corner from where we used to live [the couple now live in Hawthorn]. It’s easy to dine here, the food is filling and healthy; it feels fancy but relaxed. I recently had lunch date with our son there too.
Merry People owner Danielle Pearce on her love on Swan Street, Richmond. Picture: Supplied
Friends of Mine is a café near the Burnley end of Swan St and where we went a lot during COVID. It has a large outdoor area and it felt a little bit social as well for the social distancing times of the past. It was also a good walk from our house too. They make a good matcha and nice pastries and health balls if you’re on the go. We now live in Hawthorn, on the cusp of Richmond and it’s still an easy walk from our house – we love walking through the Burnley Gardens.
View this post on Instagram
The Avenue Bookshop on Swan Street is another great spot. The staff are lovely and knowledgeable about books. They have a great kids books selection too.
A-esque I met designer Amanda Rettig 12 months ago at a business breakfast. She started Mimco and then started her own leather bag label A-esque. I love that she’s opened a shop on Swan Street Richmond.
She’s great to chat retail with and I love hearing how other brands are doing seasons; I always like to get advice from someone more experienced than me in retail. My business went through a lot of growth during COVID when a lot of people were complaining about theirs. I think because people spent more time in their gardens and going for walks, they were drawn to buying more utilitarian footwear over high heels. It really was a boom phase that’s maintained since.
Danielle with her son at A-esque. Picture: Supplied
Why do business on Swan Street, Richmond
A lot of my business planning happened while walking around the MCG and Richmond when I was pregnant. Those covid walks really allowed me to do a lot of deep thinking and fall more in love with this area. I developed a lot of confidence in myself and the brand during that growth.
Merry People owner Danielle Pearce on her love on Swan Street, Richmond. Picture: Supplied
There is a Richmond 3121 community group and I’ve only posted on there twice, but there is a lot of love for Merry People. We have a lot of people who go to the football and wear our boots too. The success of our pop-up at Co.Bake Space with Alisha Henderson and Alice Bennett gives me a sense of great hope in this area for a business retailer. It’s a neutral territory and easy for anyone to get to no matter what side of the river you live.
Swan Street rebirth
It’s exciting to see how Swan Street has grown over the last 20 years. I think a lot has to do with the workforce emerging in Cremorne and what that is bringing to the strip in terms of demand for quality spots to eat and shop. The weekend hospitality trade has been a big boost for local businesses – it’s a happening buzzy strip and I am still drawn to it.
