Levee kiosk to give fledgling Hunter businesses a leg-up

The Hatch, as it will be known, will open for business on March 21, as a space for new or internet based businesses to test whether they are ready to commit to a shopfront.

Maitland City Council will lend the space, rent free, to businesses for one to four week terms.

Hunter internet based home wares business M & C Designs will be the first tenant to set up shop in the kiosk.

Business owners, sisters-in-law Michelle Wallace and Charlotte Raman, applied for four weeks in the kiosk to find out whether it would be viable to open a permanent store.

The decision came after they launched their business online 18 months ago.

“We both have a passion for creativity and design and we saw an opportunity to channel that into a unique, stylish range of home wares,” Ms Raman said.

“Being a small business, to have the means to undertake a retail lease is very challenging. 

“So something like this gives us the opportunity to have a presence in the local market and gives us a spring board for the business.

“It’s like a stepping stone to when we can get retail space.”

Maitland City Council city and visitor economy coordinator Martin Payne said business incubation was one of the best ways to use the kiosk as the revitalisation of Central Maitland continued.

He said businesses with “bricks and mortar” shopfronts would not be eligible to use the space.

Council will use a written expression of interest process to select tenants.

“We’re not taking on any food style enterprise at the moment because there would be requirements for additional items in the infrastructure,” Mr Payne said.

“It’s about complimenting [The Levee] and adding to it.

“We feel that the businesses that take this up – the bespoke, artisan, local handmade – can only add to The Levee and the revitalisation of Central Maitland.”

The Hatch will be open between 10am and 3pm, Monday to Saturday.