Kate – Coal Coast Magazine & Thames St Studio
29B Thames St
Tell us about your business
I wear a couple of hats at Thames St Studio – Casey and I operate a relaxed co-working, gallery, and event space for hire. And as the editor of Coal Coast Magazine, this is where we plan and design every issue!
What motivated you to start your business?
Thames St Studio came about after Monica, the previous tenant, moved interstate. I had been using Monica’s space during school hours and the opportunity came available in mid-2024 to take over the lease.
Why is Thames Street a great location for your business?
It has a lovely community atmosphere – it’s relaxed and unpretentious. It’s also close to home and my boys’ school, so it’s a win/win!
Do you have a moment that made you say “yeah the girls” about your fellow Thames St businesses?
These women! They are all so great at what they do. Our little strip has a real energy about it, and I’m always fan-girling about how great they are – Kiara’s nutella donuts, Mel’s heavenly massages, the K&D girls hand-delivering a coffee while I’m in a meeting. They are such a good bunch.
Casey – Blush Social & Thames St Studio
29B Thames Street
Tell us about your business
Blush Social helps female-led e-commerce brands grow through smart, creative and data-driven Facebook and Instagram ads.
What motivated you to start your business?
I started Blush Social after running my own online store and learning (the hard way!) how powerful paid ads can be when done right. Now, I help other brands skip the trial and error and build profitable, scalable stores
Why is Thames Street a great location for your business?
Thames Street is full of passionate female small-business owners doing amazing things. And honestly, it’s nice to get out of my home office and spend the day somewhere that I can connect with others
Tell us about how you fit into the community of Thames Street
I run my business out of Thames Street Studio, a co-working space for local creatives. But the community spirit goes well beyond our green front door. People stop to say hi, chat over a morning cuppa, and cheer each other on for every new store that opens on the strip. It’s a little pocket of kindness and collaboration where everyone’s genuinely there to lift each other up
Do you have a moment/memory that made you say “yeah the girls” about your fellow Thames St businesses?
Absolutely! Over summer, we’d neglected our indoor plant babies at Thames Street Studio and left them out overnight to enjoy the rain. Only to come back the next morning and find them gone. We thought they’d been stolen! But no, Elise from the café had whisked them away to her ‘plant hospital’ to nurse them back to life. That’s the kind of place Thames Street is. Thoughtful, supportive, and full of “we’re in this together” moments. I love being part of that.
Kiara – Delicioso Bake House
29A Thames St
Tell us about your business
Delicioso Bake House started as a dream of a 16 year old still in school. With a few years of hard work and savings, an opportunity came up to start my own dream business ‘Delicioso Dessert Bar’ in December 2021. With the love of baking more than sweets, I had completed my baking studies at TAFE and now I’m baking anything from sourdough to pastries, cookies, scrolls and more.
What motivated you to start in your field?
What motivates me to own my bakery business is how it allows me the space for creativity through flavours and textures and sharing that with my community.
Why is Thames Street a great location for your business?
Thames Street has been a place of peace and comfort since finding it two years ago. It now allows me to build a community with everyone. Even kids! With future kids baking classes!
Tell us about how you fit into the community of Thames Street
I believe we fit in well as it’s an easy, accessible street where you can grab and go with your bakery and essential needs, or take a seat and enjoy the relaxing and calm atmosphere the street brings while snacking away on some sweets.
Mel – Female Focus Massage
31 Thames St
Tell us about your business
I run a women-focused remedial massage clinic dedicated to caring for women through all stages of life — from the glowing chaos of pregnancy to the beautiful exhaustion of motherhood and beyond. It’s a warm, nurturing space where women can simply be.
What motivated you to start your business?
I wanted to create a sanctuary for women — a space where they’re seen, heard, and deeply cared for. I saw too many women putting their wellbeing last, and I wanted to change that narrative.
Why is Thames Street a great location for your business?
Thames Street has this beautiful, village-like energy — a mix of charm and soul. It’s full of independent female-run businesses that give it such heart. It’s the perfect blend of calm and community — and my clients love the atmosphere.
Tell us about how you fit into the community of Thames Street
We’re part of the gentle hum of Thames Street — a place people wander when they want connection, and care. We collaborate with local women-run businesses, support each other’s ventures, and share plenty of laughs (and caffeine) between clients.
Do you have a moment/memory that made you say “yeah the girls” about your fellow Thames St businesses?
Definitely — many of us are each other’s customers or clients, and we happily refer to our friends, too. There’s something so special about that genuine cycle of support — we experience each other’s work firsthand, champion one another, and grow together. That ongoing exchange of care and encouragement is a real “yeah the girls” moment.
Elise – Kiss And Drop
31 Thames Street
Tell us about your business
Kiss & Drop is a thriving suburban cafe. We pride ourselves on our warm service, superior quality coffee and delicious housemade eats.
What motivated you to start your business?
Having my own cafe has been a quiet little dream of mine & after taking care of other peoples businesses as my own for a large part of my career I thought it was a good time to take the plunge.
Why is Thames Street a great location for your business?
Thames street is an awesome location. I live in this community and my kids attended Lindsay Park Public School.
Tell us about how you fit into the community of Thames Street
My first day trading as the owner of Kiss & Drop we were already takeaway only due to the pandemic. Little did I know that Kiss & Drop would become an integral connector for the community as we navigated social isolation together. It remains that way today, a place for people to grab a coffee and a treat of course but also to feel seen, heard and connected too.
Do you have a moment/memory that made you say “yeah the girls” about your fellow Thames St businesses?
Every day is a “yeah the girls” moment at Kiss & Drop. We are a primarily female-run business. We lean into our strengths and encourage each other to be our best every day. It is a beautiful and nurturing environment, and we were all so thrilled to see other professional women join us on Thames Street. It’s has been a really cool and organic journey.
Rachel – Mama Base Illawarra
31 Thames St
Tell us about your business
Mama Base Illawarra is a psychology practice, supporting mothers and children of the Illawarra and beyond.
What motivated you to work in your field?
I had a vision and goal of working with families in the field of either teaching or psychology. After achieving my degrees in psychology at UOW, I moved into the field of child psychology, branching out to perinatal mental health during the time I was navigating my first pregnancy and transition through matrescence. My personal experiences of this journey embedded my passion for this space, and now Mama Base is a 6 year old business that has and will continue to support many families also navigating the wonderful and complex journey of parenthood.
Why is Thames Street a great location for your business?
Kiss and Drop Cafe has been my local coffee stop from its opening many moons ago. A welcome smile and delicious coffee became a ritual through my mothering journey. When the opportunity to situate Mama Base in this precinct surfaced, it was an opportunity too good to pass up.
Tell us about how you fit into the community of Thames Street
An accessible mental health service which also offers a range of support options outside of one to one psychological intervention feels like a wonderful addition to a community that is accessed by many mothers and young families.
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