Alstonville’s growing reputation as a sophisticated shopping and lifestyle destination has attracted a new boutique menswear and lifestyle retailer to the Plateau.

Bolt + Buckle officially opened its new Alstonville store last week, with business leaders describing the move as another sign the village’s retail scene is continuing to evolve beyond its traditional country-town roots.

The business, operated by Pat Fleming and Sharon Matulick, specialises in menswear, leather goods, bags, gifts and lifestyle products, with stores already established in Brisbane and Murwillumbah.

Alstonville Wollongbar Chamber of Commerce president Jemma Coulter said the opening was a significant addition to the local retail mix.

“We already have several wonderful women’s fashion and lifestyle businesses that attract shoppers from well beyond our local area, so it’s fantastic to now see a specialist menswear store open in Alstonville as well,” she said.

“It adds to the diversity and sophistication of our retail offering and gives people another reason to visit the village, spend time here and support local businesses.”

Ms Coulter said businesses like Bolt + Buckle were helping strengthen Alstonville’s reputation as a destination village.

“The significant investment that’s gone into businesses like the Federal Hotel in recent years has also helped encourage people to come to Alstonville not just to shop, but to spend time enjoying the atmosphere, cafes, restaurants and broader village experience,” she said.

“It’s encouraging to see more people recognising that Alstonville has become a destination in its own right, while still retaining its strong community feel.”

Sharon Matulick (main image above) said the couple deliberately sought out character shopping villages rather than major shopping centres when expanding the business.

“We like eclectic shopping spaces, so shopping centres are not really our style,” she said.

The business began after a trip to India, where the couple discovered rustic leather bags that inspired them to begin selling products at Brisbane markets.

Over time, the business evolved into designing its own products and working closely with small family-run leather producers.

After operating in Brisbane for a decade and opening a Murwillumbah store five years ago, the couple turned their attention to Alstonville.

Ms Matulick said the character of the village and the old bank building they’ve made their new retail home, followed by the strong community support quickly stood out.

“It’s so community focused,” she said.

“We’ve had enormous support from the business community here, but also the people, just really, really friendly.”

The store features a mix of Australian, European and locally sourced brands, including products connected to Lennox Head and Byron Bay suppliers.

Ms Matulick said customer feedback during the first few days of trade was already influencing future product lines.

“We ask a lot of questions about what people are interested in so we can build the product around that,” she said.