Meet Marcus Quinn and Gus McClure of Market 755 in Camberwell Junction

A university student and a carpentry apprentice with a passion for vintage and pre-loved fashion have become young disrupters in the retail sector.

Marcus Quinn and Gus McClure have taken the traditional weekend market, mashed it with a high-end store, and created a bit of a sensation in Camberwell Junction.

Market 755 is a retail store with dozens of stockists who rent space in the building. The shop is a hidden gem – located off the main thoroughfare of Burke Rd and accessible via Commerce Lane (next to Commonwealth Bank) – just waiting to be discovered.

Mr Quinn said the idea for the business was born from the frustration that there were no stores in the eastern suburbs offering a good curation of vintage and small brands at reasonable prices.

Also, the duo love trawling markets on weekends but, Mr Quinn said: “that’s the issue. They are only on weekends.”

Growing an idea

Mr Quinn has been selling vintage clothing and his op shop finds since he was a teenager, building a strong idea about the market and making connections.

While Mr McClure loved carpentry, working for someone else and not having creative freedom stifled his passion for the trade.

“I had the idea for the store and just started discussing it with Gus,” Mr Quinn said.

“He said he would be more than happy to help me with the fit-out of the store because of his trade experience, but then eventually just thought to himself, why wouldn’t I just join?”

Once that decision was made, the two business owners pushed ahead with the idea and found a space in Camberwell Junction.

“There was no Market 755 before the physical brick and mortar store, so we did it a bit backwards compared to most businesses similar to ours,” Mr Quinn said.

“We are a large retail space but smaller than similar stores like ours. That was intentional, to make sure the curation of items could be maintained to the high standard we wanted.

“We have 32 different stockists in the store which we rent out spaces to on a weekly basis.

“We don’t actually stock the store at all, which is the beauty of the business. This model ensures a variety of stock. There is something for everyone.”

Market-loving suburb

The two men love the creative freedom of running Market 755.

“I think we both love the challenge and people looking at us like the new young and creative kids on the block, stirring the waters a bit,” Mr Quinn said.

The pair enjoy working for themselves, making decisions for their business and staying accountable to each other.

Opening in Camberwell Junction may have been a bit of a risk, but the suburb known for its popular Camberwell Sunday Market was just the spot for the shop.

“We knew there would be customers here because of the market every Sunday, so thought we should jump at it,” Mr Quinn said.

“And we wanted to stand out from the typical vintage store scene in Fitzroy. So, it’s good for us; the challenge is good and the potential to grow is what excites us about the area.”

Market 755’s main clientele is aged between 16 and 25 years, and while it’s mainly locals “who are excited that a shop like ours is finally here near them”, the men have noticed a growing number of shoppers from elsewhere.

“Because we are pretty isolated from other vintage stores in Melbourne, I would say we are a bit of a destination spot,” Mr Quinn said.

“Also, we are a bit tucked away upstairs so people kind of have to know about us to come visit.”

Proud of the personal touch

Mr Quinn and Mr McClure are proud of their relationships with the stockists and the in-store shopping experience.

“Every aspect of the shop fit-out has been made with the specific purpose of making the store feel clean, welcoming and professional,” Mr Quinn said.

“An example of this is the custom-made clothes hangers for all the items, as well as the custom racks. We are passionate about making the best shopping experience we can.”

For those who haven’t found their way to Market 755 yet, the young owners said you can be confident you’ll come find something you like.

“We have stockists that sell a wide range of items for all genders,” Mr Quinn said.

“Come check us out. Gus and I are always more than happy to have a chat with our customers and just hang out. The space is inviting and relaxing.”

The men are proud they took the leap and gave life to their business idea.

“This is what I think we were both meant to be doing in our lives.”

Visit the shop