Melbourne Businesses

Author: Elliot

Cat Boarding For Your Beloved Pets

Any pet owner knows the predicament that arises when taking a holiday. Do you leave the cat or dog at home, and get a relative or neighbour to food it and change its water regularly? This can be a viable solution when going on a short trip, but is it the best option?

For longer trips (and maybe even shorter ones), pet owners are advised to put their animal in a cattery. Provided you choose the right facility, a cat boarding centre will look after your animals with as much love, affection and care as you do. You can leave any special foods with the centre, and they will make sure the cat or dog is exercised regulary and given lots of cuddles.

A highly recommended Melbourne centre is the Templestowe cattery in Lower Templestowe. Located alongside the veterinarian clinic, they have amazing staff and Dr Julian Alexander will be right there, meaning they have a qualified vet on call 24-7.

February 18, 2011
New Port Melbourne Restaurant a Hidden Gem

As a 6 foot 8 guy, I love my food. I’ll sometimes have up to 5 meals a day to provide me with the fuel I need to get my 205cm body through a normal day. I especially love eating out at restaurants. And recently I found a brand new place that has found a special place in my heart…and stomach.

The place is called Hollyhock, and it is located on Station Pier in Port Melbourne. Situated right on the waterfront, it has a lovely view and a relaxed feel, both inside and out. The menu would best be described as mainstream, with a wide variety of meals that taste high end, but are priced very affordably (ranging between $17 and $32). I’ve already tasted a number of the mains and still haven’t found one I didn’t love!

My favourites would have to be the potato gnocci with pumpkin, pinenuts, spinach and pesto, and the chicken kiev with a delicious garlic butter sauce. The grilled veg salad was a very pleasant surprise, as I’m not a massive fan of non-meat dishes. However the chick peas, haloumi and mint yoghurt dressing sucked me right in! As far as Port Melbourne restaurants go, this is by far my favourite, and I will be returning again soon.

February 9, 2011
Presents Galore as Major Retailers Fuel Christmas Shopping

With only 2 days until Christmas, people are madly shopping around for last minute christmas gifts for family and friends. Despite us being deep in the midst of a global financial crisis 18 months ago, Australian’s aren’t afraid to open their wallets during this festive season.

Major retailers such as JB Hifi and David Jones have been particularly popular, with stores all over the state continually packed out with excitable shoppers. Both businesses have a point of difference, which has added to their popularity this summer. JB Hifi’s business model of high turnover and small margins is working a treat, with hardly any stock sitting in the store for long.

Their most popular products have included Nintendo Wii’s, Xbox Kinect, 50 inch plasma televisions, and of course their huge range of dvds. Their low prices have ensured the stores are one of the most popular places to shop and buy christmas gifts. David Jones is at the other end of the scale, selling high end products such as contemporary jewellery, upscale fragrances and boutique clothing. But a range of shoppers are happy to ignore the price tags and shop until their hearts are content.

It’s a positive time for Melbourne businesses and one that should only get better as the economy continues to improve.

Recommended gift business:

Guys Gifts – plenty of great ideas for xmas, birthdays and other presents

Harvey Norman – whitegoods, electronics, furniture, these guys have it all!

December 23, 2010
Amici’s Breakfast Burrito To Die For

Just a quick review today, as I felt it necessary to give props to a great eatery on Chapel Street in Prahran. Amici’s Bakery Cafe is a lovely place situated just down from High Street. The last couple of Sunday’s I’ve been down there for lunch and must rave about their breakfast burrito. It’s actually called the Amici’s Breakfast Wrap, and is the best start to a Sunday morning. Once I ate it whilst nursing a big hangover, the other time while fresh and well rested. Both times it was great.

The burrito is a wrap filled with finely shaved strips of steak, scrambled eggs, tomato, spinach, corn, salsa and probably a couple of other things I can’t remember right at this moment. The point is, it’s amazing, and needs to be tried by everyone who’s a fan of food. While we’re talking about burritos, for a night time meal, go a few hundred metres down the road to Amigos, the mexican restaurant also on Chapel Street. Try their chicken and sweet corn burritos…you won’t be disappointed!

December 19, 2010
Oprah Fever Hits Melbourne

Superstar to the misguided hicks, Oprah Winfrey, arrived in Melbourne today, and made her only public appearence of her Australian trip at Federation Square in the city. Flying in from Uluru this morning, Oprah (whose name is aboriginal for successful black woman) had a scare on the Bolte Bridge when a 1964 Holden stopped suddenly, forcing a semi trailer to swerve across lanes on the freeway. The incident happened only two cars away from Oprah’s motorcade, but luckily she was fine and continued on to Crown.

I’m not even sure why Oprah is here. I watch the news and there’s been plenty of marketing about this trip. Is she releasing a new book? Is she starring in a movie down here? Is she looking at joining up at Fernwood and giving Kirstie Alley a run for her money? Maybe I’ve just tuned out because I’m not a fan.

I nearly went down to Fed Square this afternoon to take a look. How often do you get a chance to see a googly eyed woman from Mississipi giving real hope to people in person? Now that’s so much better than religion! And there’ll be lots of people out drinking at Riverland tonight because of all the commotion. Maybe I’ll go down there after all!

December 10, 2010
Fundraising Australia Style

Australian’s are great at raising money for causes. Last month was a perfect example as Aussie’s put in an amazing fundraising performance for Movember, an event the grows bigger every year. Movember raises money for mens health, in particular prostate cancer research and depression.

Their marketing team is very creative as they have taken a fun gimmick (growing a moustache) and made it as the “challenge” for participants to help raise money. It also creates a talking point that further raises awareness for the cause, and gets more people involved. In terms of ideas for fundraising it is up there as one of the best.

This is further helped by their partnerships with local businesses such as Grill’d. Offering a free hamburger every day for all those participating in Movember is a great concept and undoubtedly contributes to the amount of guys growing moustaches every November and taking part in this annual fundraiser. Let’s hope that each participant doesn’t take up the free burger offer EVERY day of the month or we may see a December Diabetes charity popping up real soon!

Recommended fundraising opportunities:

Ideas For Fundraising – Perfect for clubs and organisations of any size. They promote ‘healthy homes’ and encourage people to use products around the house that are better for you and the environment. There are minimal establishment costs, and you receive a percentage of all sales. So when you’re members use these “better” products such as toothpaste, shower gel, laundry powder, cosmetics and more, you are making money. And when they refer others, you make money off them too!

December 6, 2010
Logo Design is Crucial in Business Branding

For all Melbourne business owners, their own unique identity is something that can not be underestimated. A company logo is usually the first thing a potential customer will see and it needs to reflect their values and ideals, whilst providing an image that is memorable. If your logo is tacky it can send the wrong message about your business.

That’s why all businesses need to allocate significant resources for a professional logo design. A quality logo design team can develop a concept that is simple yet professional, and speaks a thousand words. They can also ensure that your logo will work across a range of mediums, and at a range of sizes.

The colours of your logo should be consistent across all other aspects of your branding, including company website, letterheads and other office materials. Different colours can convey different messages, as can font sizes, styles and graphics. So ensure that you communicate clearly to your chosen graphic designer before the commencement of your project, so that they know exactly what message you are trying to send about what your business stands for.

Recommend logo designers:

Temerity – provides great logos as well as other branding, business cards, letterheads and more, plus web design and online marketing

Bless Designs – high end corporate logos which look great

December 1, 2010
Affordable Web Design Doesn’t Have To Look Cheap

Budget constraints are always a pressing issue for small businesses. Keeping overheads low is one of the most important requirements for success, as cash flow can be volatile, and the less expenses you have, the better. A professional website is one of the most important tools for any business, acting as a 24 hour shop front for your brand, and giving consumers vital information about what you offer.

So how does a small business balance quality and price for their new website? Finding an affordable web design company is vital, one that offers low cost web solutions that are also effective and eye catching. The Cheap Web Design Company in Melbourne offers very attractive websites for all budgets, whether you’re just starting up with only $500 to spend or if you’re looking for a few added extras and willing to spend a couple of grand.

Their results are fantastic, and they are always willing to go the extra step to make sure you’re completely satisfied. The best thing is, all their sites are built with a content management system. This means you can update the pages yourself, without any knowledge of web design. So on top of their great prices, they end up saving you hundreds in ongoing costs to maintain your website!

November 25, 2010