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Toscas returns to original Collie store location 50 years on

Stuart McGuckinSouth Western Times
Toscas' owner Greta Moloney has a vision of attracting people to Collie who want to visit her boutique.
Camera IconToscas' owner Greta Moloney has a vision of attracting people to Collie who want to visit her boutique.

Just over a year and a half on from taking over Toscas Boutique, Greta and Georgia Moloney have moved the iconic Collie clothing store back to where it first started 50 years ago.

“It’s almost like it’s come home now,” Greta Moloney said.

“We’d been trying to narrow down exactly when it opened, but the original owners suggested it was the end of 1969.

“The store has moved around a little bit over the years.”

By Greta’s count there have been five different locations during that 50 years.

She said everything fell into place to make the move.

“The lease was up at the end of the month where we were and it was a little bit on the small side.

“Most recently there was a nail salon where we are now but they left town – their bad luck turned into our good fortune.”

“I’d previously spoken to the owners saying that if the store ever became available I would be keen.”

The new premises has double the floor space of the previous location as well as a storage room, toilets, a kitchen and parking.

“It’s a win all round,” she said.

“There is a lot more open window frontage which is more inviting.

“The comments I’ve been getting is that it is like walking into a Perth boutique – we’ve been getting a lot of people come in that didn’t come into the old shop.”

Georgia has also travelled to Sydney to complete a certificate in personal styling to add an extra service to what the business can provide.

“We can now say we have a personal stylist in store to help,” she said.

“A lot of women look at their wardrobe and say they have nothing to wear, but actually they have and they just need to learn how to put things together.”

Greta has a background in nursing and said she had found the experience of growing the business in a challenging retail climate exciting.

“We’re starting to get a lot of people from other areas, including Bunbury, Busselton, Boyup, Albany and all the way around - even Perth, coming to find what they want here,” she said.

“My vision was that people would end up coming to town partly because of our shop.”

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