Petit Vélo owner Leanne Gruner is delighted to see families picking ornaments and visitors stopping by to admire the Christmas lights.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
At this time of year, Petit Vélo transforms into a Christmas wonderland, with its retro Christmas window display drawing locals and visitors alike to stop and take a look.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Petit Vélo owner Leanne Gruner thinks it is really lovely to see families come in and the kids all picking an ornament.
“Tourists, local families all over the place, people that didn't even know I was here, see Christmas lights and stop on their way through to Echuca,” she said.
Leanne has transformed Petit Vélo into a treasure trove of vintage finds and local crafts.
Located at 2/41 Moore St, Rochester, the store operates as much more than a typical second-hand shop.
“I bought Petit Vélo after the flood, when it was going to close down,” Leanne said.
“It is a vintage, retro, antique, collectible, gift wear shop, we have a little bit of everything.”
The shop has gained recognition for its extensive Christmas display, featuring trees spanning decades.
“We have vintage trees from the 1950s through to new trees,” Leanne said.
“We have a lot of glass trees, we have ornaments from all over the world.
“I get ornaments in from Europe, from India, all hand-blown glass.”
She particularly enjoys the nostalgic appeal of older items.
“I am liking the vintage 1970s things right now, the really tacky stuff, the felty Santas and the angels with the bright yellow hair and things like that,” Leanne said.
Petit Vélo at Rochester transforms into a Christmas wonderland with a retro Christmas window display, attracting locals and tourists.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The store supports local artisans through various partnerships.
“We have handmade things by different local people, like the woollen craft group make a lot of scarves, blankets and toys,” Leanne said.
“I have another local lady who crochets little bears and local artists with their artwork in the shop.”
A unique feature is the shop's 1960s ride-on horse, which serves a charitable purpose.
“I have it fully operational, and all proceeds for that go to whatever charity my kids pick every month,” she said.
“Last month, my children chose to support teenage mental health.”
For the upcoming Rochy Shop Local day, Petit Vélo will offer 10 per cent off Christmas ornaments and picks.
The shop operates Wednesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm and weekends from 10am to 3pm.
The store offers a variety of vintage finds, local crafts and unique Christmas decorations spanning decades.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Petit Vélo supports local artisans by showcasing handmade items like scarves, blankets, toys and artwork from local artists.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
21°C