In a world of convenient but unremarkable chain bottleshops, community-centric retailers like P&V Merchants are a welcome change of pace. The Paddington outpost of this small business opened in 2017, bringing a new face to Oxford Street that is one part bottleshop and one part community bar.
Unlike your average bottleshop, P&V focuses on unique and less-recognised brews and bottles from producers around Australia and the world. From unusual wines to hoppy craft beers and spiced spirits, there are no boring drinks on these shelves. There's also a fair share of tinned, jarred, pickled and preserved food to be purchased, plus bits and bobs to be used and worn.
Another unique offering of P&V is that you can enjoy your purchase in-store, simply take your purchase to the back courtyard and enjoy, or skip the decision-making first and enjoy some pre-determined by-the-glass options.
There are some bar snacks to be enjoyed in the courtyard, but most of the food can be found upstairs in the independently-run Porcine bistro. Keep an eye on the P&V channels, as when Porcine isn't using the space, you can expect tastings, masterclasses and more.
Images: Byron Martin for PADDO(Collective)