New lease of life for Merimbula shopping arcade

And it's very much a local success story.

Carmen Moreing was raised in Merimbula, attending Merimbula Public School and Eden Marine High School. After leaving school she studied Arts Law at Wollongong University and like most students had to take a part-time job to help pay the way.

"I got through my law degree scrubbing chicken ovens in Woolworths," Carmen said with a laugh.

"But the great thing was they allowed me to transfer to Merimbula during the holidays and so I scrubbed the chicken oven here."

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After working in a couple of law firms Carmen returned to Merimbula with a firm ambition to work at Sautelle White, where she is now a director.

"I now get to do what I want to do, where I want to. My parents have had a property here for 34 years. I walk down the street and feel that this is my home," Carmen said.

Between the bushfires, COVID and the regular day to day work, Sautelle White has increased its staff.

"We have outgrown the space at the office and because we're so busy I've got new staff starting at the end of the year," Carmen said.

Not only has the law firm outgrown its offices in the laneway near the Dodd & Dwyer Pharmacy, Carmen points to the access issues with stairs.

She had been looking at the old Millers building for about two years thinking it would be a great spot for Sautelle White and started talking to the landlord who has owned the arcade for about 30 years.

But suddenly the game changed dramatically when another interested party came into the picture. Carmen only knows that it was a large company looking to not only take the Millers space but buy the arcade.

"My husband said 'find out what he (the landlord) wants for it' but I said we're not in that league."

However Carmen spoke to her accountant who backed the idea and discovered the banks were very supportive.

"I've always wanted to do property development," she admitted but this became a race to the finish line.

Carmen said because she wasn't a large organisation she could move quickly. In August she will finalise the purchase of the entire arcade of 11 shops which has all bar two tenanted. However there are already plans for a pop up shop in the old Jason Harley premises which will make the most of the prominent display windows on the corner.

There are long-term plans too for the arcade which might see upmarket apartments on a second storey, with cafes operating in the laneway - think Sydney's Strand Arcade - which Carmen likes.

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"I'm putting a lot of money into the arcade with a view of giving back to the community. Morale has been low in the town. I have been living and breathing this for six months."

But for the time being Carmen has her work cut out renovating the space for Sautelle White. It's a big job, the building leaked and has had to be relined and leaking windows fixed too. The air conditioning has been removed as well.

"We had to pretty well re-do everything, only the concrete floor and safe (from the time when it was a bank) remain untouched.

"It's going to be something pretty special, we're hoping to move in early 2022. There'll be a round reception, secluded waiting areas, brushed brass, it's going to be really up market. We will have acoustic tiles for privacy and different styles of rooms. I'm trying to source as much locally as possible."

For Carmen this is a long-term project with several stages, something that will attract new lawyers into the business, see development of a prominent area in town and will also provide a legacy for her family.

"It will be nice to walk down the street and say 'I did that'".