s and car seats to nappy bags, maternity bras and swaddles. “It’s a place where they can touch and they can try and talk through the items they are considering for their life with their baby, and it’s that meaningful way for us to share our brand and bring people together,” Casey, The Memo co-founder and CEO, told Inside Retail. But great experiential retail requires a great store location and Melbourne is currently boasting the lowest retail vacancy rates in Australia. According to the City of Melbourne, vacancy rates in the CBD have halved in the past year to 6.5 per cent and the broader municipality’s retail vacancy rate is also down to 10.7 per cent. Retail vacancy rates peaked in 2021 but consumer spending on dining and entertainment has since tripled which has reignited bricks-and-mortar shopping. Location, location, location Finding the perfect location for The Memo’s newest retail locations is a top priority for the co-founders as they want to meet parents where they are in order to cultivate connection and convenience. “We really think about where the local cafes are, or where people are going to be going on their walks,” said Casey. “Ideally, it’s also a really beautiful destination so that when customers travel, they come into us and they’re making a day of it.” But high street locations like The Memo’s shopfront on Fitzroy’s Gertrude Street are rarely vacant and competitive to secure. “The Fitzroy site actually just came through our personal network of another retailer looking for a space, and it was given to them off-market but wasn’t suiting their requirements,” shared Casey. The Memo launched as an e-commerce store and has quickly grown into an omnichannel shopping destination which the founders find far more rewarding from both a personal and business perspective. “There is huge momentum and demand in the market for physical retail, it’s a great opportunity to connect with our community in real life,” stated Casey. “After the success of our first Armadale store and our own experiences as parents, we know how important it is for many new and expecting parents to be able to touch, try and talk through the cult products they’ve heard so much about.”  Now with three Melbourne locations in Armadale, Fitzroy and Maribyrnong, The Memo has more store openings up the eastern seaboard in the pipeline with 10 prospective locations, including in Sydney. The baby boom The Memo’s expansion plans are well in line with its remarkable growth. Since launching it has experienced a 30 per cent year-over-year increase in total sales. Casey and Simmonds’ mission to streamline and simplify new parents’ shopping experience has resonated with thousands of consumers who want a side of community with their commerce. “The Memo is delivering a new model for parenting retail in Australia. The baby industry needed to be disrupted – it was outdated and cluttered. We believe parents deserve better,” stated Simmonds. “We waited until we had the support and confidence from the market, and the resources to expand. We’re ready, and the demand from our customers indicates they are too.”  The Memo has positioned itself as a one-stop-shop for premium baby essentials, offering personalised support for expecting and current parents. Its in-store services, brand activations and educational events have set it apart from competitors and fostered a loyal community that has become proud brand ambassadors. Retail staff at The Memo undergo extensive training to be able to guide shoppers through any number of services including nursery planning, car seat installation, maternity bra fitting, hospital bag packing and pram test drives. “We want people to feel when they walk into the store a sense of excitement and anticipation,” said Casey. “Feeling that they’re supported and want to explore and investigate, rather than just having to run in and grab something because it’s just a necessity,” she concluded.