When Gavin Dee and Addison Marshall opened their vintage fashion, ceramics and homewares store in Alexandria, they received an unexpected gift.

“Our best find was a beaten-up vintage 1980s Chanel handbag that was thrown into the gutter right outside the shop,” Dee tells Broadsheet. “I put a lot of love and care into restoring it and it sold immediately after it was listed online.”

As well as Chanel, The Corner Shop sells pieces by Comme des Garcons, Acne Studios, Moschino and more, alongside ceramics by Marshall and other local artisans including Hayley West of Wells Street Studio.

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“We always wanted a one-stop shop for everything we love,” says Dee, who previously ran market stalls and online retailer The Crown St Project with Marshall. “The store was the natural progression after not being able to do market stalls due to Covid, and having a physical space feeds an endless desire to decorate, curate and make beautiful.”

The building itself is a looker: a 19th-century corner terrace with a distinctive sunflower-yellow facade on the leafy residential stretch of Henderson Road.

“I like that it’s bright yellow and makes people feel happy, and also that the location is unassuming and not the typical place you would find a shop selling goods like mine,” says Dee.

The light and airy space has a gallery feel to it, softened with warm accents from various woods and lush greenery. As well as being filled with clothing, jewellery, gifts and homewares, it also plays host to private and group styling sessions led by former Vogue staffer and sustainable stylist, Joanne Gambale.

“Many people love the idea of buying and wearing vintage but it doesn’t come easy to everyone to be ‘that person in vintage’,”says Dee. “Jo helps people build the skills they need to do that – for instance, knowing how to wear something from the ’60s in a fresh, contemporary way that works for a modern lifestyle.”

It’s all part of Dee and Addison’s mission to convert customers to the joys of vintage – and shopping in real life rather than online.

“Bricks and mortar stores are important, especially for boutique vintage stores,” says Dee. “Customers need to be able to see clothing in person, feel the fabrics, inspect the quality and try things on. They can mix and match with many pieces in our store and walk away with a complete outfit.”

The Corner Shop
202 Henderson Road, Alexandria

Hours:
Wed to Sat 11am–6pm
Sun 11am–5pm

@the_corner_shop_tcsp