Having to traipse up a narrow set of stairs wall-papered in gig posters to get to a shop sets our hearts a-fluttering.  You get to the top of the stairs and POW! here lies the goods. Another of the Valley Markets success stories, Disasterpiece, awaits with the luscious, the oddball, the artistic and the shiny all for boys and girls on the lookout for something a little different. Stocking not only clothes, shoes and jewellery, but rare vinyl, CD’s, DVD’s and specialty books, owner Jo Spence is up to her eyebrows in fringe and counter cultures.

What drove you to start Disasterpiece?
When I was young and a punk there was nothing on the Gold Coast for us, all we could do was raid op-shops. When I had kids I wanted there to be a place for them, and for anyone who wants to live their life a bit differently, to get things they need; quite often that’s the stuff that parents don’t want their kids to have. We make it accessible, parents come in and can see what we’re about and that it’s not scary. At Disasterpiece we don’t exclude, we stock a range of sizes in clothes and shoes because we really want to cater to everyone.

What’s surprised you since you started Disasterpiece?
It doesn’t surprise me but it surprises other people how nice the community is. We have very low theft because our customers watch out for us and each other. It’s been known for items that have gone missing to show up again.

How diverse is your clientele?
Our clientele ranges from the punk, metal, rockabilly and psychobilly communities, to groups of grannies who buy a whole bunch of our crazy patterned tights to wear at their weekly tennis matches, families come up together and look around. We also see our fair share of kinksters and fetishists, who always come in looking incredibly straight laced and normal. The local cops come in all the time for a look around and a chat.

What excites you?
Australian designers excite me. When you’re approached by a designer and they’re local and their stuff is good and you just know they’re going somewhere.

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Level 1, 77 Scarborough St, Southport