Our Story
Hello and welcome to The Local!
If you have found this page then, like me, you are curious about who is behind a business and how it came to life.
So let me fill you in…
My name is Gayle and I am the founder of The Local. I am also a mum to four gorgeous boys, a talented cook (if I do say so myself!), cleaner, uber driver, party planner, nurse, therapist, dog walker, poop scooper… you get the picture! I am a self-proclaimed shopping extraordinaire (I LOVE to shop!) and a big supporter of Australian artists, clothes designers, jewelers, handbag designers, my list could go on and on!
I have dreamed of opening my own store for as long as I can remember. A store that has something in it for everyone. A store that reflects and supports the diverse talent in Australia. Somewhere welcoming that makes people of all ages feel at ease. However, like many of us, I always let my insecurities and inhibitions get in the way of chasing my dreams. I’ll be honest with you… social media and technology have never been my ‘thing’. I hate being in front of a camera (think Chandler from friends). And although I love to throw a party, I really don’t enjoy being the centre of attention. So my dream store stayed just that… a dream.
That is until my family’s world was turned upside down in 2019 when my husband was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Talk about a reality check about how precious life is! As I watched my incredible husband endure many rounds of chemo, and supported him through several surgeries, I was, and continue to be, empowered by his strength and determination as he fights this disease. As cliché as it sounds, this experience really has made me realise just how short life is, and I stopped questioning whether my dream could ever become a reality and made the decision to just “go for it”.
So here I am, a woman of action, as I embark on a new adventure and finally chase my dreams… and I can’t wait to have you join me for the ride! The Local represents fun, community, togetherness, friends, family and strength. It is full of treasures for everyone. So, if you are shopping from the comfort of your sofa, enjoy perusing all the goodies we have to offer (you may even see me in the odd picture, or see a post from me on insta… yep, I’m totally facing those inhibitions!). Or if you fancy a drive to the beachside town of Dromana on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula, I would absolutely love to meet you.
Welcome to The Local ♥
Gayle XO