Warrnambool's Liebig Street store Friends Of opens

Friends Of owner Pat Robinson said he saw a gap in the menswear market and the Liebig Street store stocked a mix of surf, skate and street wear and work-inspired pieces.

"It was an unbelievable response," Mr Robinson said. "Not only with mates coming in but other people too and everyone's just loving it. It's been good."

Friends Of stocks a mix of Australian and international labels, as well as his own brand Freq Concepts and an underwear range he designs with wife Bianca Kavanagh and her brother Luke.

"We don't really have that many menswear stores around so I think it's good for us blokes to have a few different options," Mr Robinson said.

Mr Robinson, a graphic designer, is from the south-west. He's worked for a national streetwear brand, based in Geelong, as a menswear designer for the past five years, gaining valuable industry experience.

He said a pop-up store he opened in Liebig Street in summer 2020 gave him the confidence to start his own business. "It highlighted the need and the demand. I couldn't keep up with that. It was only a six week pop-up and I thought 'yeah let's go for it'."

He said he waited about six months for the right location and has spent the past six weeks fitting out the store which is "bringing something different to Warrnambool, something fresh that no-one else is doing as well".

The new store has boosted the main street's occupancy levels with seven vacant shopfronts, a stark contrast to 2016 just before the start of the city centre renewal project, when there were 16 empty stores.

"We're both stoked to be back and feel like Warrnambool's just starting to boom. There's so many businesses popping up."

"I'm always looking for new stuff and whatever demand I see," he said. "I want to bring stuff that I really like as well." He will also stock vintage and second hand clothing which currently en route from the United States.

"I'm super keen to support local brands, artists, businesses along the way. I'd love to have events at the space as well. A Friends Of pop up or if an artist wants to do an exhibition," Mr Robinson said.

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