Native Drops Is the Beautifully Designed Bondi Bottleshop Trying to Redefine Your Liquor-Buying Experience
The reimagined bottle shop offers a fashion-forward cellar door experience with tastings, talks and an all-Aussie selection.
The Australian bottleshop deserves a do-over. For too long we've purchased our grog at generic liquor stores that only really highlight the big, familiar names.
Enter Native Drops. Bondi Beach's newest drinks retailer is putting a refreshing spin on the way we buy alcohol, turning the quick dash up to the bottle-o into an experience that features not only wine tasting, but also meet the maker sessions and workshops for customers.
"Supermarkets can't showcase a lot of good wine in these places because they're being supported by big labels which have demand requirements to fill," co-founder Daniel Ferster explains about his venture, which aims to offer a sophisticated alternative to the model Aussies currently know.
Ferster and his business partner Daniel Berman are the wine-obsessed brains behind the month-old space, which sells solely Australian wine, beer and spirits. It's a boutique business that emphasises the importance of buying local and provides a glimpse into just how vast, delicious and amazing the nation's industry is.
Regions from Tasmania to the Margaret River are represented, with the selection hand-chosen and centred around small batch and often biodynamic producers. Featured wine producers include The Other Right, Arfion, Swinging Bridge, CRFT and Charlotte Dalton.
Native Drops also plans to stock native cheeses, and will open a deli section in February.
The interior design is earthy and rustic. Designer and architect Andy McDonnell has repurposed the site into a truly intimate space. It's low-lit and clean, with splashes of timber, copper and stone. Australian flora and fauna are celebrated with wildflower arrangements by local floral designer Selena Murray.
"We've got a big tasting room attached and we're hosting a weekly wine-tasting series," says Ferster. "It's fashion-forward space and a cellar door-like experience."
Native Drops is located at 7/19-23 O'Brien Street, Bondi Beach. Opening hours are 10am to 5pm every day, except Thursday (10am to 7pm) and Saturday (10am to 10pm). Visit their website for further details.
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