18 – LOVE

18 –THY
UP FRONT
BOTTLESHOP NAME HERE – 19

02

01 R B A
Wine Republic’s Wine
Cloud – a collaboration
between RED and local
designer Daniel Griffin.
LOVE THY
BOTTLESHOP
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Breaks in shelving
coupled with the
placement of quirky
objects help to create WINE REPUBLIC
interest within the store. Interior Design & Environmental Graphics

Wine Republic is a boutique wine, beer and liquor
retail store located in the inner city suburb of
Fitzroy in Melbourne. The store recently won
The Wine Rules’ Wine Store of the Year and the
interior design was also nominated for the 2014
RED immediately saw ways to link the shop’s
design to the artisan culture of Fitzroy. RED worked
with local artists, furniture makers and craftsman
to create the store. The wine bottle light fittings
(a partnership between RED Design Group

2014 Australian Interior Design Awards.
Tom O’Mara, Wine Republic’s owner and manager
Interior Design approached RED Design Group with the objective
Awards Finalist of creating a new and vastly different environment
for liquor retailing. A savvy business owner,
Australia’s Best Independent Tom had researched his market and knew that
Wine Shop his store was going to need to appeal to the
fast growing cultured demographic of the suburb -
Best Independent an eclectic mix of young, single, professional
Bottleshop or semi-professional, tertiary educated residents.
and local lighting designer Daniel Griffin) look
like sculptures and are a talking point as soon
as customers enter the store. The 800-bottle
installation is affectionately nicknamed The Wine
Cloud. Topographical, fun and engaging wall
graphics that reference local landmarks were
hand-drawn by local artist Alex Hotchin also
reinforce a sense of community.
Within a long narrow tenancy RED Design Group
has made the specialised product the hero,
encouraging customers to purchase. As the
product was very similar in scale, visual breaks

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The graphics wall
behind the main
counter designed by
Alex Hotchin references
local Fitzroy landmarks
and is a talking point
amongst visitors
in shelving were introduced to decrease the depth
and engage customers. Repurposed furniture and “I’m so pleased with the 04
recycling were also important aspects of the project
with environmentally sustainable design a key design.” Who would’ve The shop is easy to
navigate with clear
component of Tom’s brief.

“I’m so pleased with the design,” says Tom O’Mara.

thought that a bottleshop sightlines

Who would’ve thought that a bottleshop could

create so much talk and interest in a community?”
could create so much talk and 05
Alex Hotchins’ creative
Tom also talks about the commercial aspect of
the impact of his store’s design, not only is the
interest in a community?” graphics also extend to
the external windows
store designed to be visually appealing, but it’s  – Tom O’Mara, Owner
also highly functional and designed to support our
merchandising and drive sales. RED’s store design
has been instrumental in making this happen,
ensuring that the business has been a success.”

www.winerepublic.com.au
265 Brunswick St
Fitzroy VIC 3065
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