At a time where sad, empty shopfronts sit peppered throughout the Crown Street Mall, one retailer has decided to embrace the space and give it some much-needed love.
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Business owner and fashion designer Serene Coleman is transforming her online store Ponyboy Vintage into real life shop in the Central Chambers Arcade from November 21.
Ms Coleman said her "tucked away" location on the mall may be "interesting" to some, but she was prepared to help breathe life back into the ailing retail district.
"I wanted to create the feeling of a destination ... I think there's so much potential in Globe Lane and the other tucked away pieces of the mall which really aren't being accessed at the moment," she said.
"There's really cute little rabbit warren parts of Wollongong that I would love the council and Wollongong to support and reinvigorate.
"I want to be one little step towards that."
Ms Coleman said Wollongong's CBD could be like Melbourne or New York if unique boutiques and businesses like herself populated the area, along with music and markets.
Her concept for Ponyboy Vintage, she said, was a unique shopping experience, "a safe space and sanctuary for women to try and clothes".
The vintage-inspired threads - like "wiggle dresses" and pencil skirts - are made for a variety of sizes, are designed locally and made in Sydney using ethically-sourced fabrics.
The store is open Wednesday to Sunday, and by appointment on Mondays and Tuesdays for customers who may be self-conscious or prefer privacy.
"Buying clothes should be a fun experience - not the horrible change rooms with terrible lighting," Ms Coleman said.
"We've created a safe space for women to feel good and have fun, put a record on, have a glass of wine - and really take some time to prioritise themselves."