As a proud member of the Flour Mill Business Collective, The Little BIG Foundation is excited to share that our application for funding from the NSW Government’s Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner has been successful!
As a group of neighbouring businesses with a shared interest in a vibrant, connected community, we have come together to develop product offerings, promotional strategies, activations and community experience that tell the stories of our local area and encourage people to come, stay and connect with us.
Strengthening the Flour Mill District
The Flour Mill is already a vibrant hub where history, community, and creativity intersect, and the next 12 month gives us an incredible opportunity to take it to the next level. This opportunity will enable us to:
- Appoint a dedicated District Manager: We are thrilled to welcome Lily Katakouzinos to the team! Lily will work closely with local businesses, partners, and the wider Flour Mill community to drive collaboration, coordinate events, and create engaging activations that bring people together. With a coordinated approach, we will all be better.
- Build our presence and visibility: We will be developing a brand strategy with The Garden Agency and expanding our online and social media presence, helping raise awareness of all the great things happening across the district. Helping more people enjoy what we have to offer and adding more value to those on our doorstep.
- Measure and understand impact: We’ve partnered with Inhabit Place to collect visitor data and insights that will help us shape future activations and ensure we’re meeting the needs of both locals and visitors.
A Collective Effort
The program supports businesses to work together which is exactly what we have done.
The Flour Mill Bisuness Collective consists of representatives from all hospitality, retail and services business which surround the Flour Mill park and plaza; the Little BIG House, Hampton & French, It's Parfait, Paper Rock Scissors Art Studios, the Granary Cafe, Headlands Coffee, Moulin Cafe, Bubba Desk, Reclaim The Future, Bekya Egyptian Spice and the Flour Mill Markets. We also extend an invitation to any other local business nearby to join us.
This success builds on our participation in the Uptown Accelerator Program, which provided the foundation for the Business Collective to come together, co-create a vision for the district, and identify ways to strengthen our precinct as a welcoming, lively, and inclusive destination. You can see our pitch here.
The Uptown grant ensures we can continue this momentum – fostering stronger partnerships, encouraging collaboration among our diverse businesses, and making the Flour Mill district a place people love to visit, linger, and return to.
Looking Ahead
The Flour Mill Business Collective is proud to be part of a state-wide network of districts driving local vibrancy, community connection, and economic activity. We’re excited to see the transformation unfold and invite everyone to join us at upcoming events and activations.
You can follow our journey on Instagram @the_flour_mill_at_summer_hill
The Uptown Grant Program is proudly funded by the NSW Government.