NORTH-WEST siblings Stephen and Niki Filipovic are combining their talents to realise their dreams.
The brother and sister, who grew up in Taylors Lakes, will launch an innovative flea market concept in Melbourne’s Docklands on Saturday.
Ms Filipovic, 23, says Melbourne Flea will have something for everyone, with gourmet food stalls, vintage clothing stalls and live music among the things on offer at the open-air market.
The pair will set up 20 refurbished shipping containers for stallholders to give the market a dynamic feel.
They had originally earmarked a site in Braybrook but couldn’t strike a deal with a landlord.
The Filipovics settled on an unused space at the western end of New Quay at Docklands after getting approval from the Planning Department.
They hope to transform the area into a vibrant hub for people of all ages and cultural upbringing.
“No one really goes to Docklands so we hope to change the perception of the place because it has so much potential,” Ms Filipovic says.
“We want to put a pulse back into the area and we want different demographics to be part of it.”
She says many recycled materials are being used for the market.
“We’re using old tyres, crates and wooden pallets and it’s all part of the design.”
The Strathmore resident says the pair work well as a team.
She has a media and communications degree from Melbourne University, while Stephen, 25, has started up a successful construction business in Sunshine.
“Stephen is a real go-getter and is able to get results while I’m good at making sure everything is organised properly,” she says.
They have plans to launch flea markets in Brisbane and Sydney.
“We are in the process of organising a lease for a site in Brisbane and we definitely have plans to expand the concept in the future,” she says.
“We’re working on events on the side, but a lot of our energy is going into making Melbourne Flea a big success.”
Details: peoplesmarket.com.au
