You know the feeling of exploring a neighbourhood or a main street with a strong identity. Maybe every other wall is splashed with a mural by a local artist, or there’s a high volume of wine bars, record stores or vintage shops that attract a trend-setting crowd. Sometimes, it’s best described as a “buzz” – a feeling that something is happening.

Sometimes that buzz happens organically, but sometimes it needs a little strategic and collaborative engineering.

Some of Renew Adelaide’s most impactful work has happened on a smaller scale, in what we call “micro-precincts”: arcades, upper levels and pedestrian malls. Unlike streetwide placemaking strategies, micro-precinct activation is concentrated on a compact footprint, while still based around curating exciting tenancy mixes, strengthening identity and increasing foot traffic.

Upper level activation at Myer Centre Adelaide

When the Singapore-based owners of the Myer Centre (alongside leasing agency CBRE at the time) wanted to breathe life into the centre’s upper levels, they weren’t just looking to fill vacancies. They wanted foot traffic, energy and businesses that would bring new demographics to the centre.

Since 2021, Renew Adelaide has activated 11 tenancies at MCA, introducing concepts not found in a typical mall directory: a new-and-secondhand bookshop, a witchy teahouse, a screen-printing studio and independent fashion retailers.

The team worked closely with centre management and existing rent-paying tenants to ensure the new arrivals complemented the retail mix, rather than competing with it. Two ventures in particular – Three of Cups and Page & Turner – have truly embedded themselves into the centre’s identity and culture, with Page & Turner since expanding into a second tenancy.

While not every business converted to a long-term lease, commercial conversion isn’t the only metric of success. Even short-term activations delivered what the centre needed most: vibrancy, experimentation and some curiosity about what’s upstairs.

The strategy proved so effective that the lessor extended the Renew Adelaide program into the adjacent Goldsborough House, where First Nations entrepreneurs KSJ Consulting and Platinum Civil Construction established office spaces and strengthened their business networks.

A heritage refresh in Adelaide Arcade

Just a short walk from the Myer Centre, Adelaide Arcade faces a different challenge. Rich in heritage and charm and filled with locally-owned businesses, the arcade has long held a strong identity. But General Manager, Andrew Jonats, wanted to expand its demographic without losing its brand and soul.

Since late 2022, 26 new businesses have launched in the arcade through the Renew Adelaide program, including vintage clothing, a tea room and a female-run tattoo studio – emerging business concepts whose operations were once confined to markets and home offices.

“Some of the most exciting businesses are hard to find, because they’re new and only just emerging from people’s living rooms at home,” Andrew says.

“There are a lot of businesses you have to review and develop relationships with before you can determine whether to move forward with a commercial lease. This is where Renew Adelaide really helps.”

Of the 26 ventures supported:

– Six were designed as short-term, seasonal activations (eg. exhibitions, installations, retail pop-ups)
– Two remain active on the program (as of time of publication)
– Of the remaining 18, 40% have transitioned to commercial leases in Adelaide Arcade and an additional 17% have graduated onto commercial leases elsewhere in the city or outside of the CBD

The arcade has also hosted short-term exhibitions by emerging local artists, drawing packed opening-night crowds and local media attention. One such tenancy evolved into Skin – a one-week-only exhibition that later became Renew Adelaide-supported gallery Household, and continues to operate as an event series. In the meantime, the tenancy caught the eye of mid-century furniture retailer Housewarmers, activating the site successfully for six months before eventually graduating into its Gilbert Street location and continuing to bring vibrancy to a different corner of the city. This is a clear example of how arts activation can increase a site’s longer-term market appeal and provide new businesses with an opportunity to grow.

Andrew notes how creative opportunities like these drive commerce by “adding value, giving precincts a point of difference that draws people in.”

Transforming a commuter thoroughfare into a destination at Topham Mall

Topham Mall is located in Adelaide’s west end – a previously overlooked City of Adelaide-owned site that once functioned primarily as a pass-through to a car park or a visit to the City Archives.

Since 2015, Renew Adelaide has worked with COA to develop this virtually blank canvas into a diverse and thriving precinct, based around a hub of small, independent and very unique businesses.

The strategy wasn’t just about introducing new tenants, and instead involved shaping a cohesive brand identity. This included cosmetic upgrades, public art, shared seating and a deliberate clustering of emerging concepts.

To date, 11 Renew Adelaide-supported ventures have launched in the mall, including a chocolatier, a book café, a florist and a salad bar. Six have transitioned onto commercial leases at Topham Mall.

More importantly, eleven years on, Topham Mall has retained its reputation as a hive of small business activity. The activation strategy has attracted commercial tenants beyond the program itself, which is a sign that identity becomes organic over time and continues to grow.

Why we love micro-precincts

Micro-precincts allow lessors to test and refine tenancy mixes without committing to long-term leases from day one. At the same time, they give emerging entrepreneurs space to experiment and immerse themselves in a new community, while offering the public something new to discover.

Across these micro-precincts, more than 60% of Renew Adelaide ventures have graduated to commercial lease terms. That figure speaks not just to some excellent business models, but to Renew Adelaide’s pre-qualification process and our ability to understand and align with lessor motivations.

Sometimes, the most interesting energy isn’t happening on the mainstreet – it’s happening up a flight of stairs, down a less-trodden mall or in a quiet corner of the city. Don’t forget to look up and take it all in!