Mane Osborne Park Opens Next Week: Here’s What’s To Expect

There are no two ways about it: Mane 2.0 is big. How big? With a footprint of 600 square metres, the sophomore bottle shop from Mane owners Elliott Moore and Josh Daley is three times bigger than the original Belmont Mane that opened in 2006. (Fun fact: the name “Mane” is an acronym made up of the original four owners’ names.) The coolroom area alone is bigger than the entire bottle shop at Besk, the West Leederville venue that Moore is a partner in. A dedicated warehouse area will, logistically, make things easier for management while also giving customers better choices and better prices. In short, Moore and Daley aren’t here to copulate with arachnids.

“We’ve signed a 20-year lease so we’re going to be here for a while,” says Moore as he and Daley give me a tour of their almost-open store. A spa shop till late last year, the space is filled with tradies making final touches ahead of opening next Friday. Handsome timber cabinetry and shelves are dotted around the room. I spy standalone fridges that will be filled with high-end cheese, seafood from Fins, meat from Troy’s Meats and other things designed to enrich customers’ drinking pleasure. Among it all is interior architect Kate Archibald, checking and measuring bits and pieces. With all the activity going on, it’s tricky to picture what the finished store will look like, but if Archibald’s past works are anything to go by – her sleek, airy aesthetic has brought venues such as Jetty Bar & Eats, Toots Disco and La Condesa to life – shopping at Mane is going to be a pleasurable experience.

Part of that pleasure, I suspect, will also come down to a vast range of products. More space equals more room for stock, and management have their hearts set on some lofty inventory goals. Among them: more than 200 bottles of hot sauce, an equally impressive number of wine bottles, plus more than a thousand different beers.

“It’ll be the biggest beer range in Australia,” says Moore, his tone more matter-of-fact than boastful. “I can’t see any shop that would have a bigger beer range than us.”

Although big is part of the Mane 2.0 story, management remain committed to supporting small and independent businesses. Growler fills will be available for breweries that don’t sell packaged product, while former Rockpool sommelier Matthew Bell and ex-Bar Lafayette staff member James McMerrin will lead the wine and spirit purchasing. Ops manager Erin Dilley is also going to be one of the store’s key players.

"We want people to be coming to us for anything that's hard to get, rare, small producer, or family-owned," says Daley.

This idea of community carries over to other aspects of the business. A tasting bench will host winemakers, distillers, brewers and other producers. A commercial kitchen has also been installed in the back of the store. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, friends of Mane will take over the kitchen and prepare takeaway meals that will be available for purchase. During the week, the kitchen can be hired by other food businesses. For the shop’s opening weekend, Moore and Daley have organised three days of tastings and good eating involving names such as Republic of Fremantle, Peggy’s, Goldbird and Yalla Bala.

Mane Osborne Park (392 Scarborough Beach Road, Osborne Park) opens on Friday March 24.

Hours:
Mon 9am – 7pm
Tues to Sat 9am – 9pm
Sun 11am – 7pm

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