Modern Times is an extremely soothing space to walk into. The shop – which pairs vintage European-designed furniture with contemporary Australian art and design – has been enticing Melbourne shoppers since 2010.
In the video above, owner Amy Malin discusses how she and her husband Joel began Modern Times almost by accident when looking for furniture for their own home. “I think the biggest challenge was that we had never run a business before and we had really no idea what we were doing,” she says.
The Malins sought expert knowledge wherever they could; from consultants to Google searches. Now the business runs like a well-oiled machine, operating in both their Smith Street retail space and an off-site restoration warehouse where they store the “diamonds in the rough” the Modern Times team has scoured the globe for.
“I think that running a small business is just a huge opportunity for personal growth and learning,” says Malin. “You’re just constantly learning and that’s what I love about it.”
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