Why Boutique Retailing in Melbourne Is Truly UP THERE

UP THERE have swung the doors open to their new flashy flagship store in upmarket Flinders Ln of Melbourne CBD. The move comes after 13 years at their OG McKillop St spot, delivering some of the city’s finest sneaker and menswear shopping experiences. Founders Brendan Mitchell, James Barrett and Jason Paparoulas reflected on their latest world-class boutique with Sneaker Freaker.

Congratulations on the new store! How’s the team feeling?
Excited, refreshed, proud. The whole team has been working towards this for quite some time, so it feels great to finally have it operational.

Was moving to the ‘Paris end’ of Melbourne CBD always part of the plan?
It’s the place to be, right!? To be honest, we were very lucky with the space. Wherever we landed – whether it was the Paris end of the city or the Spencer Street side [ed. outlet shopping district] – had to complement everything that UP THERE is and is working towards. The new location certainly gives us the opportunity to explore a new echelon of brands that we’re excited about.

The new store and brand facelift is quite a departure from the UP THERE of old. Why the bold look now?
We owed it to ourselves, our team and our community. It was the best time to do a full refresh after outgrowing McKillop St. We’re forever looking for ways to improve and progress to make sure this latest facelift provides the retail world with something it hasn’t seen before.

Describe some of your favourite elements of the shop. That coffee machine looks real fancy…
Our two mates at the front of the store, our little temple dogs, are great! The changing rooms are special, and then the mix of textures and colours throughout the space blows our minds on every visit.

How are you discovering new brands these days?
A lot of travel! While the internet has everything you ever need on it these days, travelling is the most effective way to find new brands. It’s important for us to meet the founders and sales reps for every brand we stock to make sure they align with us and the team at UP THERE.

UP THERE opened in the nascent years of #menswear, and elements of the range at the time reflected that. What does today’s assortment represent, and who is it for?
In a way, we’re still catering for the same person from 13 years ago. Our brands list has definitely changed over the years, but the ethos around the brands we stock still remains the same. They’re brands that have a story, are focused on quality and design, and are sustainable and unique. We cater for the fashion enthusiast, professionals, hypebeasts, students, and everything in between. Everyone is welcome at UP THERE – always have been and always will be.

Where does your sneaker range fit into all of this?
Sneakers have come a long way in the last 13 years, especially post-COVID. Everyone wears them now. The biggest shift has been through the fashion lens. All of our sneakers align perfectly with our most fashionable brands.

Sneaker Freaker interviewed you in 2012, just two years into the indie retail game. Let’s see if some of your answers to the following questions have changed…

How would you describe UP THERE?
We see UP THERE as the embodiment of a lifestyle lived well. We provide quality and craftsmanship, insights and discoveries as our raison d’etre. Many of the brands and labels we started with are still with us, and the newer makers and providers exemplify the same ethos we extol: longevity, quality, production ethics and design ingenuity. We are proudly independent, and every decision we make is our own, so while trends come and go, UP THERE continues to march to the beat of its own drum.

You’ve not only survived, you’ve now thrived for 13 years. We guess you’ve learned a lot about business! Have things turned out how you expected?
We didn’t know what to expect when we started all those years ago, and we still don’t! To be honest, we probably haven’t spent enough time reflecting on everything we’ve achieved over the last 13 years. We’re continuously striving to be the best we can be, and honestly, we’ll never be completely satisfied. This store is certainly pretty special, though!

Share some of your favourite memories from all the years at McKillop (and Coventry and Little Collins… RIP).
McKillop and South Melbourne were always the most fun when we had our community around us. We’ll never forget the parties, Friday beers, rooftop hangouts, sneaker line ups and even the more intimate moments of the transformations of each space, which we largely did ourselves. All of these moments have moulded us into what UP THERE is today.

Okay, back to UP THERE 2023. It seems boutique brick-and-mortar retailing is coming back in a big way after a few years online. How else are you standing out IRL?
The new store lends itself to in-store activations and events; we want to get back to the days of regular catchups with our community. Our UP THERE Athletics store is another aspect of this that focuses on health and well-being and promoting fitness. It’s been a very complementary experience.

The dust has barely settled on the new shelves, but what’s next for UP THERE?
While our wives and families would love for us to sit still for a moment, we can’t help ourselves. We can’t give anything away, but this new store is only the beginning.

Alright, Brendan, here’s another chance for you. Can you tell us a joke?
Knock, knock.

Who’s there?
Arfur.

Arfur who?
Arfurgot!

Mate…

Check out the new UPTHERE at 69 Flinders Ln, Melbourne.