Drought was biting hard, families were ordering removal vans and heading east in droves, but 24-year-old Holly Hawkes ignored the trend and opened a boutique clothing and coffee shop in Blackall in February this year.
With cash in short supply, some expected The Drawing Board to be short-lived, but now she’s begun paying herself and grey nomads are asking for a drive-through for their morning caffeine fix before they hit the road.
Many things have contributed to the success of Holly’s retail venture, not least her own enthusiasm.
“We live here, we want coffee as part of our lifestyle. It’s normal, not something we should go without,” she said.
“I wanted to be my own boss, and I felt this sort of business – good coffee and clothes for women with no other immediate access – was drought-proof to an extent.
“I made the decision that I wanted to keep living here, but I was missing the things I could get in an urban area.”
The network of support offered, the strongest Holly has experienced, also buoyed her up.
“Blackall’s got soul,” she said. “You feel you’re making a difference, you’re not lost in the crowd.
"And it’s not too expensive – I couldn’t have opened an entry level business at 24 in other places.”
It’s an experience she feels other young people with tertiary qualifications can take heart from, and something she’ll share as part of the Grow Queensland forum at Blackall this Thursday.
“I think there are other opportunities,” she said. “I’d love to see adventure sports – young people would do that well.
“I’d really love to see a boom in young people looking for lifestyle and making the most of their expensive education, for the benefit of rural Queensland.”
She is also showing the way in online marketing, using Instagram to promote the latest items available through her website, which customers in the wider region are making use of.
“People still call me before they buy something. They seem to want that human contact,” she said.
A month ago, after two weeks of online sales, it was 5 per cent of her overall business.
Overall, food was accounting for 52 per cent of her profit, just edging out the clothing side.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
