At Twitchers Emporium, we believe that where you choose to spend your money matters. Every purchase is a small vote for the kind of neighbourhood you want to live in. 

And the neighbourhood we're most invested in is right here: Auburn Village, Hawthorn.

Auburn Village is one of Melbourne's most quietly special shopping strips. It doesn't have the foot traffic of Chapel Street or the profile of Bridge Road, but it has something those places have largely lost: genuine character.

Independent businesses, long-term locals, a sense of community that you can actually feel when you walk down the street. We're proud to be part of it.

Why Local Shopping Matters More Than Ever

The past few years have been genuinely difficult for small, independent retailers. Online giants, rising rents, and changing shopping habits have put enormous pressure on the kinds of businesses that make a neighbourhood worth living in. When a local shop closes, it's not just a business that disappears — it's a gathering place, a source of expertise, a thread in the fabric of the community.

When you shop locally, the impact is immediate and tangible. Research consistently shows that money spent at local independent businesses recirculates in the local economy at a significantly higher rate than money spent at chains or online marketplaces. Your purchase at a local shop helps pay a local wage, supports a local supplier, and contributes to the rates and taxes that fund local services. It's one of the most direct ways any of us can invest in the place we call home.

What Makes Auburn Village Special

Auburn Village has a particular quality that's hard to define but easy to feel. It's a strip where you can still have a conversation with the person selling you something, where the people behind the counter actually know their stock, care about their customers, and have made a genuine commitment to the neighbourhood.

It's the kind of place where you come in for one thing and leave having discovered three others. Where the businesses complement rather than compete with each other. Where there's a reason to come back, and a reason to linger.

We love being part of that. And we love that our customers — whether they're walking past and ducking in, or finding us online from across the country — are choosing to support a business that is genuinely rooted in a place and a community.

Our Commitment to the Community

Twitchers Emporium has always been about curation, finding the things that are genuinely worth owning and bringing them together in one place. That same sensibility applies to how we think about our role in Auburn Village. We want to be a business that adds something to the neighbourhood: a destination worth visiting, a reason to come to the strip, a place that reflects the taste and character of the community it serves.

We stock designers and makers who share our values — people who care about craft, quality, and the story behind what they make. When you buy from us, you're not just buying an object. You're supporting a chain of people who have all chosen to do things the considered way.

How You Can Support Auburn Village

If you're local to Hawthorn and the inner east, here are a few simple ways to invest in the neighbourhood:

• Shop the strip first. Before you reach for your phone to order online, take a walk down Auburn Road. You might be surprised what you find.
• Tell your friends. Word of mouth is still the most powerful marketing there is for small businesses. If you love a local shop, tell someone.
• Leave a review. A Google review takes two minutes and makes a genuine difference to how easily new customers can find a small business.
• Come back. Regulars are the lifeblood of any local business. The more familiar faces we see, the more we can do for the community we're part of.

Thank You

Whether you've been shopping with us for years or you've just discovered Twitchers Emporium for the first time, thank you. Every purchase, every visit, every recommendation to a friend — it all adds up to something that matters. We're grateful to be here, and we're committed to making Auburn Village a place worth coming to.

Come and see us in store, or explore what we have online. We'd love to see you.