W
henSmith&Daughters
firstopeneditsdoorsin
Melbourne’sFitzroy
backin2014,Shannon
Martinezknewthatthelogothey’dcome
upwith– aninvertedcrossemblazoned
withEATVEGAN– wasspecial.To
coincidewiththeopening,theyhad
someT-shirtsdoneup:allblackwith
a supersizedlogoontheback.It didn’t
takelongforthemtosellout.
“I’vebeeninbandsmywholelife,
somerchhasalwaysbeensomething
we’vedone,”saysMartinez.“Itwasvery
obviousfromthestartthatbrandingwas
goingtobea hugepartofthebusiness.”
Shewasn’twrong.AftertheT-shirts
cametotebags,pinsandhoodies.Then
customersstartedaskingforcoffeecups.
Waterbottles.Aprons.Babyclothes.
“Ifpeopleaskforit,wegiveit to
them.Theamountthatwesellactually
surpassesbands.It’sinsane,”Martinez
says.“AtChristmas,I thinkwesoldover
$20,000worthofmerchandise.”
Smith&Daughtersmaybeon
thepointyendofthetrend,butfood
merchandise– wornwiththesame
fervent dedication that a metalheadmightweara Metallicatee– is something
that’shappeningindustry-wide.
“Hospitalitymerchandisehas
expandedsomuchinthepastfew
years,”saysMichaelNicolianat Sydney’s
ContinentalDeli.Thefirstoneherecalls
wantingtogethishandsonwasa Tio’s
CerveceriaT-shirt.“Ithada dogtakinga
shitontheback.It wasjustsocool.”
It makessensethatindustrypeople
getcaughtupinthehype,but
increasingly,it’sbecomea badgeof
honourfordiners,too.Continental’s
T-shirtswereinitiallydesignedasthe
staffuniform,butwhenpeoplekept
askingaboutthem,theteamdecided
toofferthemforpublicsaleaswell.
It alsogavethemanotherchancetoput
theirbelovedcanningmachinetogood
use:eachT-shirtcomespackagedina
Continental-brandedtin.
Nicolianchalksthetrenduptodiners
wantingtoholdontotheirexperience
oncethemealis over.
It’ssomethingthatMartinezhas
noticed,too.“I thinkrestaurantsattract
a cultstatusjustlikebandsdo.Chefsare
treatedlikerockstars,”shesays.“People
are so obsessed that they collect thebooks,theyeatthereeveryweek.It’sthe
sameasfollowinga band.”
Merchandiseis a smartwaytoget
a brandoutthere,butforsome,it’sabout
morethanjustmarketing.AtSunny’s,
a good-timespizzajointinAdelaide,
it’sa waytoengagewiththelocalcreative
community.“Adelaide’sprettysmall,
especiallythecircleofhospitalityandthe
arts,”explainsco-ownerAshleyWilson.
“Itcomesfroma reallyorganicplace.”
It’sa similarstoryat RaRainSydney’s
Redfern.OwnersKatieShortlandand
ScottGaulttappedMelbourneartistNani
Puspasaritodrawuptheirlogo– an
illustrationofa figurebentovera bowl
oframen– whichthey’vesincehaddone
upontees,totebagsandcorduroycaps.
“We’rea smallrestaurant,soa big
thingforusis supportingthecommunity,”
saysGault.Onewayis through
collaborationswithartists.Anotheris
throughbenefitingcharity– 50percentof
profitsfromtote-bagsalesgototheAsylum
SeekerResourceCentre,andtheWomen’s
&Girls’EmergencyCentreinRedfern.
Whilerestaurant-branded
merchandiseis hardlynew,theshift
towardsit beinganexpressionof
communitymightbe.“I don’tthink
peoplearetooproudofbigcompanies
anymore,”saysMartinez.“Theyusedto
be– butnowtheyknowit’sbetterto
supportlocalpeopleandthesmallguys.
They’renotproudofMcDonald’s;they’re
proud of their local corner store.”●FAMOUS
Manydinersfollowrestaurantswiththededication
ofgroupiestrailingmusicians,writesNADIABAILEY,
and hospitality merchandise is their badge of honour.
Fromleft:
Continental
Deli’sT-shirtin
a can;Smith&
Daughter’sEAT
VEGANcoffee
cupandpin;
RaRa’scap
(topofpile)
andRaRa,
Continental
DeliandSmith
& Daughters
T-shirts.
PHOTOGRAPHY:JAMES MOFFAT. STYLIST: LAURA JACOBS.Stockists, p176.