Common Circus closes shops - owner pivots to online and pop-ups
Lauren Henry closed Common Circus stores in Hamilton and Belmont after an unexpected rent increase. She shifted the business to online instead.
Lauren Henry opened Common Circus at Belmont in 2014. Common Circus became a Lake Macquarie community hub.
At its peak, it sold a coffee every 30 seconds. Lauren Henry opened a bigger flagship store in Hamilton in 2021.
Common Circus closed both shops after an unexpected rent increase in November last year changed everything. Henry told her accountant she was working too hard.
She decided to move the business to online only. Pop-ups are planned to stay connected locally.
Her team shrank from 35 staff to three. Henry says the online side was already growing strongly year after year.
The move lets her stay connected locally. She can manage the business differently.
- Lauren Henry
- Owner
- October 24, 2014 at Belmont
- Opened
- One coffee every 30 seconds
- Peak sales
- From 35 to 3 people
- Staff reduction
Why it mattersThe closure shows how rising rents and operating costs are forcing Australian small business owners to leave bricks-and-mortar retail. They must rethink their business models.
AustraliaAnother Newcastle retail landmark shifts online, reflecting pressure on independent shopkeepers across Australia to cut overheads and survive.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 10 d ago
