Interview

interview: Kellie Rigney

Kellie is the owner of Zjoosh, the Lane Cove-based brand that celebrates its 10th birthday this month.

 How long have you lived in LC? We moved to Lane Cove in 2010. Prior to that we lived in the UK and USA where we had our four children..

 Zjoosh celebrates 10 years this month and it started in LC. Apart from living here, was there another motivation for starting the business in LC? From the moment we arrived in Lane Cove, I could see it was a bustling local community with a vibrant population looking to shop locally. As a mum I enjoyed shopping at Kidstuff and the local bookshops, but I felt there was room in the community for a great lifestyle offering. I was a busy mum with four little kids and starting a business close to home made perfect sense to me.  Tell us about the shop back then, and was the plan to always expand the business as you have? The shop was half the size that it is now. Our offices were behind a curtain in what is now our home and living section. My children would walk up from St Michael’s and Riverview and do their homework downstairs, steal the marshmallows off the counter and ask for money to buy milkshakes till it was time to go home. We always felt that if the first store went well, there would be scope for more. Fortunately, as the model was well received, we were able to expand into other local communities in Sydney.

 How has this business grown in the last 10 years? Our business has grown from a fashion jewellery and accessories business into a true lifestyle brand which spans the main categories Apparel, Accessories, Handbags, Home and Living, Home Fragrance and Beauty. We try and offer an everchanging collection of beautiful things which would make perfect gifts. We have a strong, loyal customer base because they trust our quality and know they will be treated with a very high level of customer service. We have tried to create a brand which really understands what women are really looking for. We want people to feel proud of the gift they are giving and also for them to be able to find something to treat themselves.  You’ve recently opened a store in Brisbane. Tell us about your West Village store... We were drawn to West Village as the perfect location for our first Brisbane store. Like our Lane Cove store, it is in such a lively precinct where people from all over come to eat and socialise.

 In your opinion, what makes the perfect gift? We spend an incredible amount of time at Zjoosh formulating perfect gifts. Our focus is on really thoughtful ideas that a person may not necessarily think to buy for themselves. A pair of beautiful cashmere socks or a scarf, bangle or purse in a super fun colour. Maybe a gorgeous fragrance for their home. Little luxuries which may not be necessary but will make someone feel loved and appreciated.

Kellie and team celebrating 10 years of Zjoosh

 I’m terrible at wrapping. Isn’t it right your team are well-known for their origami-trained fingertips? We are known for our gorgeous wrapping. Our signature papers and satin ribbons make the whole gift experience all the more luxurious and special. You will feel so proud to present a gift from Zjoosh and the person receiving it will feel so loved and appreciated.

 What keeps you in LC and what is it you enjoy about living on the lower north shore? I feel very comfortable in Lane Cove. I have loved being close to where my children have been at school, and even now all but one of our kids have finished school, I do feel a strong bond with the local community. As a brand we have always been supportive of local schools, clubs and charities. We also employ many Lane Cove Locals. I feel Lane Cove is getting better and better in terms of the restaurants and other services offered. I can’t wait for Harris Farm to open. I love Pet-o and the Burns Bay Bookery, Spotted Orchid, La Piazza - the list is long. Add to that being close to the water and it’s all pretty good really. Working hard all week and staying close to home with family and friends suits us well.

A little ray of sunshine

What’s the biggest downer when you return from a lovely holiday away? The dust? The empty fridge? The bills? The laundry? By Adrienne Witteman.

It was none of those for me this time but rather the weather. I tell you, after 32 out of 34 days of brilliant sunshine in Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama this Sydney rain has been hard to take. What has happened to my beloved blue sky Sydney? Morose, and not because of all the election stuff (most of which I thankfully missed) I found myself reminiscing about desert climes that promise long sunny days. My all time favourite deserts are in southern USA – Palm Springs, Arizona, and New Mexico – as much for the flora and fauna, as for the sunshine and warmth. Growing up with a childhood TV diet of cowboys and injuns, my fascination with saguaro cacti remains unsated. These majestic trees (?), arms outstretched stand solid and defiant, and despite all those big prickles sport surprisingly beautiful blooms. At the other end of the spectrum are the Jumping Holla (pronounced choya). Brush past these with but a millimetre to spare and feel the tingle of multiple barbs piercing your flesh! These deserts are indeed fascinating places. A little-known secret is that you don’t need to travel all the way to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona to see saguaros. Next time you are driving to Melbourne, go via Strathmerton and stop in at Cactus Country. It’s a nursery in comparison to the expansive deserts of Arizona but a joy nonetheless. My next favourite desert is the Atacama Desert in Chile, quite possibly because it is such a contrast to the oft smoggy Santiago, the snow-capped Andes, and the lakes and glaciers of Patagonia. I love the llamas dressed for a party, the graceful flamingos fishing for tiny shrimp like krill in shallow lakes, the painted mountains and a horizon that stretches seemingly forever. In Africa too, I’ve marvelled at nature in the Mara where all you can see is a never-ending plain with nary a tree in sight, until gently, out of the shimmering light there appears a solitary lion, or a herd of elephants. Where did they come from? Is it a mirage? Though not as forever as our own Australian deserts. The Indian Pacific and The Ghan traverse vast tracts of seemingly empty lands. We are blessed by the foresight of those who foresaw the value of these tracks in opening our eyes to the magnificence of outback Australia. Long before Covid, these iconic train journeys were more often appreciated by overseas visitors than by Australians but now berths are sold out as quickly as they come on sale. I know that the sunshine will return to Australia but while these wet gloomy days hang about, I draw sustenance from my memories of big blue skies, wide desert expanses, unexpectedly beautiful blooms and exotic animals. Lakes and mountains are assuredly beautiful but for me, the deserts of this world remain my favourite landscapes.

3 NORTHWOOD ROAD, LONGUEVILLE 9428 5900

www.trendsettertravel.com.au

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