Shopping small delivers big rewards
If you're looking for something a bit different to do, Silky Shapes Studio runs whimsical pottery workshops — everything from one-off beginner classes to ceramics workshops. The classes are great for corporate team-building events or special occasions like hen's parties and birthdays.
Once you're done spinning the pottery wheel, grab a bite at Red Lantern, an iconic Vietnamese restaurant located just minutes from Sydney's CBD, which has been captivating diners since 2002. Renowned as one of the best modern Vietnamese establishments globally, it boasts a sophisticated Indochine charm within a beautifully designed space.
The team elevates traditional Vietnamese flavours using fresh, local ingredients. The restaurant also features a unique private dining room, perfect for special occasions.
'Whether it's your local barista taking the time to have a conversation, the pharmacist who delivers medicine to your door when you're sick or that small business that provides financial support for your children's sports club, small businesses help keep our communities running,' says Robert Tedesco, vice president and general manager of global merchant and network services for American Express (Amex) Australia and New Zealand.
Indeed, Australia's small businesses are the bedrock of our economy and communities.
According to the federal government's National Small Business Strategy released earlier this year, small businesses make up an incredible 97 per cent of all businesses across Australia — contributing up to $590 billion to the economy annually and providing jobs for roughly 5.4 million people.
But beyond the economic metrics are the immeasurable contributions small businesses make to their communities. Tedesco explains: 'Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and Amex recognises the tireless work they perform to deliver essential services and support the human connections that keep our high streets thriving.'
Both Red Lantern and Silky Shapes Studio are both part of Amex's Shop Small initiative, which encourages its Card Members in Australia and New Zealand to spend locally. And once a year, Shop Small Month aims to boost awareness of and support for participating small businesses by offering both them and their customers additional benefits and rewards¹.
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Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Shopping small delivers big rewards
Sydney's eclectic spread of small businesses offer everything from great events to super shopping and culinary experiences. We've wrapped up a few of our favourite local spots to enjoy across Sydney. If you're looking for something a bit different to do, Silky Shapes Studio runs whimsical pottery workshops — everything from one-off beginner classes to ceramics workshops. The classes are great for corporate team-building events or special occasions like hen's parties and birthdays. Once you're done spinning the pottery wheel, grab a bite at Red Lantern, an iconic Vietnamese restaurant located just minutes from Sydney's CBD, which has been captivating diners since 2002. Renowned as one of the best modern Vietnamese establishments globally, it boasts a sophisticated Indochine charm within a beautifully designed space. The team elevates traditional Vietnamese flavours using fresh, local ingredients. The restaurant also features a unique private dining room, perfect for special occasions. 'Whether it's your local barista taking the time to have a conversation, the pharmacist who delivers medicine to your door when you're sick or that small business that provides financial support for your children's sports club, small businesses help keep our communities running,' says Robert Tedesco, vice president and general manager of global merchant and network services for American Express (Amex) Australia and New Zealand. Indeed, Australia's small businesses are the bedrock of our economy and communities. According to the federal government's National Small Business Strategy released earlier this year, small businesses make up an incredible 97 per cent of all businesses across Australia — contributing up to $590 billion to the economy annually and providing jobs for roughly 5.4 million people. But beyond the economic metrics are the immeasurable contributions small businesses make to their communities. Tedesco explains: 'Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and Amex recognises the tireless work they perform to deliver essential services and support the human connections that keep our high streets thriving.' Both Red Lantern and Silky Shapes Studio are both part of Amex's Shop Small initiative, which encourages its Card Members in Australia and New Zealand to spend locally. And once a year, Shop Small Month aims to boost awareness of and support for participating small businesses by offering both them and their customers additional benefits and rewards¹.
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
Shopping small delivers big rewards
Melbourne's eclectic spread of small businesses offer everything from great events to super shopping and culinary experiences. We've wrapped up a few of our favourite local spots to enjoy across Melbourne. If you're in need of some rest and relaxation, Milk & Honey Remedial Massage, nestled in West Melbourne, offers a serene urban oasis for those seeking relaxation and healing. Since 2012, this clinic has combined the benefits of clinical remedial massage with a calming atmosphere, allowing clients to unwind from the stresses of modern life. Bobbi Pearl, a vibrant Asian fusion restaurant located in the heart of Brighton, has been delighting diners since its opening in 2023. This contemporary eatery redefines modern Asian cuisine by blending traditional south-eastern flavours with innovative culinary techniques, resulting in dishes that are both fresh and accessible. Catering to diverse dietary needs, Bobbi Pearl offers a range of gluten-free and vegan options, ensuring an exceptional dining experience for all guests. 'Whether it's your local barista taking the time to have a conversation, the pharmacist who delivers medicine to your door when you're sick or that small business that provides financial support for your children's sports club, small businesses help keep our communities running,' says Robert Tedesco, vice president and general manager of global merchant and network services for American Express (Amex) Australia and New Zealand. Indeed, Australia's small businesses are the bedrock of our economy and communities. According to the federal government's National Small Business Strategy released earlier this year, small businesses make up an incredible 97 per cent of all businesses across Australia — contributing up to $590 billion to the economy annually and providing jobs for roughly 5.4 million people. But beyond the economic metrics are the immeasurable contributions small businesses make to their communities. Tedesco explains: 'Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and Amex recognises the tireless work they perform to deliver essential services and support the human connections that keep our high streets thriving.' Milk & Honey Remedial Massage and Bobbi Pearl are both part of Amex's Shop Small initiative, which encourages its Card Members in Australia and New Zealand to spend locally. And once a year, Shop Small month aims to boost awareness of and support for participating small businesses by offering both them and their customers additional benefits and rewards¹.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- News.com.au
Restaurants close, iconic traders vanish as drug beat takes over Little Saigon
Restaurants have been gutted, bars permanently closed and iconic Vietnamese traders vacated as a once thriving Melbourne neighbourhood lovingly referred to as Little Saigon gives way to a trade in street drugs. So dire is the situation on Victoria Street in North Richmond that formerly prime real estate is being offered with 'free rent' to anyone willing to try their luck running a business adjacent to the city's safe injecting room. There is no way around it — the strip of shops has lost much of its charm as drug deals happen in the open and users stumble up and down the street. The injecting room on nearly Lennox Street is where many users consume methamphetamine and heroin, but Victoria Street is where they congregate before and after using. Locals say in the last five years it has become unsustainable as migrants who moved to Australia and opened a business in a Vietnamese food hub are 'treated like shit' and forced to confront a very different reality today to the one that existed when they first opened. is aware of a number of retailers who have had enough, including restaurant owners who packed their things and moved on after 22 years. Others keep their front doors locked and tell genuine customers to call them if they're waiting outside to get in. One business owner who spoke to on condition of anonymity said the situation is so bad that they are actively looking for somewhere else. 'Every day we're faced with anti-social behaviour on our doorstep. Our staff don't feel like coming to work anymore,' they said. Rent for empty shopfronts — of which there are dozens — starts around $25,000 a year for a 99sq m space with a kitchen. Among the recent casualties are the once-popular Minh Tan II restaurant which opened to great fanfare in August of 2017 but is now empty. Next door, the Hai Phu butcher and seafood market is also abandoned with a 'free rental offer' sticker plastered on the front window. Yarra City Council has something of a plan for the street but locals say it won't amount to anything. This week they promoted their decision to spend $550,000 of ratepayers' funds on a revitalisation project that will include 'greening and beautifying public spaces, as well as making them safer'. 'Victoria Street has been crying out for this sort of help for too long, and we can't wait any longer,' said Yarra City Council Mayor, Stephen Jolly. 'This is not a typical urban renewal plan that is reliant on the State Government. But we understand the urgency and will look to do everything we can within our remit – alongside local businesses and residents — to ensure we meet the moment.' Resident Christine Maynard told the plan is 'a joke'. 'You could spend $90 million on Victoria Street to revitalise it but nothing will work until you move the elephant in the room.' She is referring to the safe injecting room, a facility green-lit by Daniel Andrews when he was Victorian Premier. It is run by the State Government in a bid to save lives in what is universally regarded as Victoria's heroin epicentre, but much of the impacts are felt by locals. They are the ones who have to deal with the fallout of drug use in their suburb and next to their primary school. And they are the ones whose rates pay for the hundreds of thousands of dollars it costs each year to collect used syringes from the suburbs' gutters and playgrounds and footpaths. Ms Maynard told this week's council meeting they were owed '$3 million' for an injecting room that the state government expects them to manage. 'So I appear again with the same question I've had for a long time,' she told the meeting. 'This is in relation to the over $3 million that ratepayers are owed in relation to the failed supervised injecting room. Council attends regularly to clean up. 'This is not something that my rates should have to be paying for. I think it's just disgusting that I'm still sitting here. I know the guys that are down there cleaning up every day. 'Who is paying for this? We are. This is not a council-run facility. It never was and never will be.' Cr Jolly said he agreed with her position, but it was almost impossible to get the state government to cough up any money. 'The supervised injecting facility is definitely a state government facility. That's correct,' he said. 'In my opinion, they should be picking up the needles for obvious reasons. I agree that it's cost-shifting. They're not giving us the $3m that you've referred to. 'When we ask for the $3m for this, we're asking Dracula not to suck our blood. They'll try to spend as much money of ours for jobs they should be doing. We'll keep banging on the door.' The fight for fairness for locals and retailers comes as shocking figures confirm what many already feared. The Coroners Court of Victoria revealed this week that Victoria recorded its highest number of fatal drug overdoses in a decade. According to the new data, there were 584 fatal overdoses in 2024 and 547 the year prior. Heroin, methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine and GHB were the main culprits, where use of those drugs peaked in both metropolitan Melbourne and the regions. The 2024 figure is a 16 per cent increase on the number of people who died from illegal drugs in 2015.' Cr Jolly has been vocal about the issues facing his constituents. He previously referred to Victoria Street as a 'ghetto' and 'Disneyland for drug users'. 'You can get there by train or tram, there's plenty of people that will sell you the drugs, there's plenty of nice houses in Abbotsford and North Richmond you can rob to get the money for the drugs, and there's even a supervised injecting facility that you can shoot up in,' Mr Jolly told 3AW in March. Ha Nguyen, president of the Victoria Street Business Association, said in April that the 'drug market near the injecting room, with anti-social behaviour daily, create public safety concerns and that undermines liveability and damages our economic prospects. 'Families feel unsafe, visitors are hesitant and businesses move away or shut down,' he said. to hear from residents who said they had never seen the neighbourhood in such bad shape. 'I don't feel safe,' 51-year-old long-time resident Jackie said. 'I found one dead body before the injecting room arrived. But there have been more after. 'I feel so unsafe even during the day going for a walk. I get constant verbal abuse and sexual harassment.' The supervised injecting room was granted permanent status next door to Richmond West Primary School in 2023. Since then, there have been numerous incidents including drug users passing out in the street clutching syringes, a dead body opposite the primary school, a man entering the school grounds with a knife and a man exposing himself outside the school fence. North Richmond Community Health, which manages the safe injecting room, says that between 2018 and 2023 there were almost 8000 overdoses inside the facility and all were safely managed.
