Five years after opening its doors, Ms Dickson and her partner Steven Price this month expanded their business into the shop next door.
“Anyone who has ever come into Bluebird Vintage knows I have been moaning about not having enough space,” she said.
“Because we are so eclectic in what we do, our aim was to be a one-stop shop with a little bit of everything.
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READ NOW“The shop was a little too cluttered, which was nice and cosy for a while — lots of nooks crammed with stuff – but now our new space has allowed us to spread out and focus on vintage homewares, interiors, rustic industrial, antique curios and decorator items.”
Ms Dickson said she loved how Cambridge Street had grown over the years.
“In more prominent retail precincts, there’s a tendency for leasing agents to dictate what suits the area, but retail evolves more organically in a small, residential one like ours,” she said.
“It’s not the busiest or most glamorous strip, but it really works – there is community engagement and a real village atmosphere.
“We have a nice mix of people who have been here for decades and some newbies as well. Everyone knows everyone.
“A lot of our customers come in on a Tuesday morning looking for something they have fallen in love with in our window after stumbling out of The Stanley on the weekend.”
Western Suburbs Business Association acting president Mark Hann said upcoming projects such as the QUBE apartments and a development proposal for the area adjacent to the Wembley Hotel would further support the evolution of Cambridge Street.
“This area differs from larger precincts, with opportunities for small, independent businesses to start up in a lower cost environment and build a strong customer base to grow their turnover,” Mr Hann said.
“The last five years has seen a diversity of smaller businesses entering Cambridge Street (such as Sugarplum Sweets and Blue Spoon),” Mr Hann said.
“Together with new developments and long-term business identities, this has led to an increased level of vibrancy and interaction for all commercial concerns.”