Teresa Rovedatti and Luisa Audino have opened a second Lulu & I store in Applecross.
Camera IconTeresa Rovedatti and Luisa Audino have opened a second Lulu & I store in Applecross. Credit: Supplied/Jon Hewson

SHOP LOCAL: Second Lulu & I shop opens in Applecross following success in Cottesloe

Denise S. CahillWestern Suburbs Weekly

IT was like deja vu for Lulu & I owners Luisa Audino and Teresa Rovedatti when they expanded to Applecross earlier this year.

“An opportunity came up in Applecross and it was too good to pass up,” Teresa said.

Six years earlier, the friends of more than 30 years were having dinner together with their families when they found out there was a vacant shop front in Napoleon Street, Cottesloe.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

That was where the Lulu & I journey started.

Luisa said they wanted the same concept for Applecross but there were some labels they weren’t able to stock on Ardross Street.

“We’re still playing with Ardross Street because it’s just opened,” she said.

“The women are a bit more casual in Applecross.”

However, the best sellers are the same across both stores.

“Our best sellers are Australian brands Empire Rose and Mela Purdie… both are made in Australia,” Teresa said.

“We also have a couple of European brands in Cottesloe that are popular.”

Teresa said the key to their success over the past six years was working in the stores themselves.

“It’s important for the businessowners to be there all the time, we are very hands-on,” she said.

“Customer service is also very important and being true to yourself.

“If something isn’t working it’s important to speak up and change it.”

The friends said their husbands Graeme Batt and Sandro Audino had played a big part in their success.

“When we set up the shops they did everything,” Luisa said.

“We didn’t spend bags of money on the fit outs because they did the work for us.”

Check out Lulu & I on Instagram – @lulu_and_i and @lulu_and_i_on-_ardross