The picturesque town of Mittagong is located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. Originally a colonial settlement, the town contains historical sandstone cottages and buildings. Relics of the Fitz Roy Ironworks are a popular tourist attraction, along with wineries and heritage pubs.
It is not surprising then, that Cindy Croker, owner of Barbara's Storehouse, fell in love with the charming town set in the tranquil beauty of the Southern Highlands. So much so, that she moved there from Sydney, where she brought up her three children.
With a background in retail, Cindy worked for retail trail blazer Barbara's House and Garden in Sydney. As part of her career, she spent 12 months in Los Angeles, where Barbara's House and Garden were establishing their brand. Upon her return to Australia, Cindy opened her first store with Barbara in 1991. Within two years, Cindy was running the store on her own.
Along with the main store in Mittagong, Cindy also runs the smaller sister store in Bowral, New South Wales. She describes the range as classic and modern homewares with affordable pricing. Their unique range comprises a mix of locally sourced products along with items directly imported from overseas.
Cindy discovered Gilly's products in 2020, when she was searching for a quality product to protect the imported dining tables. She fell in love with the Lemon Cream Polish, Gilly's original recipe beeswax maintenance polish. This expanded to Gilly's Orange Oil Furniture Polish, Liquid Beeswax, Scratch Cover, Food Safe Wax, Chopping Board Oil and Leather Care.
The Mittagong Store is located at 31 Old Hume Highway and is open Sunday to Friday between 10am and 5pm, with Saturdays 9am – 5pm. The Bowral store can be found at 284 Bong Bong Street and is open 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and Sundays, 10am - 4pm. Both stores feature a vast array of homewares including furniture, glassware, kitchenware, rugs, cushions, candles, napery, vases, bowls, door knobs, outdoor furniture, lamps, desks, and decorative ladders.
