Winn Lane

Brisbane has begun to catch up to its Southern cousins with the laneway enthusiasm that has appeared in the past couple of years. This fantastic little laneway behind the iconic Zoo music venue houses several small businesses and is a hive of activity and enthusiasm particularly on weekends. One of the first businesses to take up residence in the Winn Lane laneway was Flamingo, a funky little café that was one of the frontrunners in Brisbane’s fascination with kitsch décor. Now, a passer-​by can find clothing stores, jewellery, music, art, and hair services in Winn Lane. The laneway movement is great news for small business in Brisbane and will hopefully continue to be well supported.

Weeeee Winn Lane! I know the Laneway project of the city kind of failed but Winn Lane has so much Melbourne Vibe about it. You can do a quick little shop without having to take more than ten steps between places, and when you want to chill out for a bit, you can stop at Winn Lane’s Flamingo Café.
EVerything about Winn Lane is perfectly cute and lovely. It’s the perfect change from other parts of the Valley and I feel like I’m sprinkled with a little fairy dust when I walk down. My favourite little shop down here is Sunday Social, such a lovely little place for vintage-​style clothing and accessories. But then you get caught up in the little pop-​up stores winking at you before you even get halfway down the lane.
It’s not a big lane; it’s actually very short, but the amount of great things that have been squeezed into this space casts a spell of romance and wonder. Winn Lane is fantastic, and I hope to see more lanes around the city and Valley become a little more magical just like this one. Great shopping and food venues all in a small space.

Oh the whimsy of Winn Lane! What is not to love about this place? Made up of a selection of adorable shops, a great café, a new little salon and the back of one of the most celebrated music venues in Brisbane, Winn Lane basically kicks ass.
I took a friend of mine from Melbourne to Winn Lane recently when she was visiting and, to my delight, she said it’s one of her favourite spots in Brisbane. The food at Flamingo café offers some sustenance while you mill around the gorgeous shops and find the most unnecessary of items! The main thing I love about Winn Lane though is that it has gone from being one or two small businesses, to growing into a hub of tropical Brisbane goodness, and it’s happened organically without the help of the Council or any third party.
Winn Lane is a little hideaway and haven in what can be the pretty weird-​tastic neighbourhood of Fortitude Valley. It’s as close to a physical «happy place» as I’ve found. Cue animated blue birds and She & Him music!

If only I could own a house on this, the coolest lane in all of BrisVegas, I’d be blissfully content residing amongst all the deeply stylish boutiques, and the laid back hipsters who hang out here.
I love:
the astro turf
the vibe (easy going and relaxed with a community feel — everyone knows everyone else)
the fact that it’s clearly the new hub of creativity for Brisbane.
the boutiques (Ash to Gold, Ruby and Prankster, EP, Sunday Social)
Flamingo Café (any place where you can sit on a plastic corn on the cob is a winner with me)
the laneway market on the first Saturday of every month.
Winn Lane, I heart you hard.