Origins ( retro / vintage, Science Fiction novels etc.)
Retrorocket’s business originated from a love of vintage Science Fiction novels enhanced when I was a member of the Murdoch Alternative Reality Society aka M.A.R.S. and helped with the secondhand book stall on Bush Court and a life lived surrounded by retro and secondhand wares. During the time I was at Murdoch my son Damon was being taught how to play RPGs by the excellent Karl Brown using FIghting Fantasy game books and the D&D basic set. Damon then moved into Warhamer 40K as well: more than a decade on he still loves RPGs and Warhammer.
Note: For more info on M.A.R.S. see their event forum
Small business start-up (NEIS)
Retrorocket was setup through the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) and original plan was to sell second hand books especially Science Fiction and retro wares. This was how Retrorocket got its name: retro [wares] counter balanced by an allusion to science [and therefore science fiction] hence retro-rocket.
In the early days Retrorocket was an online business, branching out later with a small weekly market stall at Balga Friday markets selling secondhand books and wares including customer requests, followed by a bigger three days a week market stall at Wanneroo markets selling secondhand Science fiction / Fantasy novels and retro wares.
Dianella shopfront (RPG books etc.)
Seven months after we set up our Wanneroo market stall we made a big move to a small Bricks and Mortar (B&M) shop in Walter rd Dianella for five years (and we also attended great markets like Golden Days vintage markets then) .
At the B&M shop we first focused on general secondhand books and retro wares, gradually becoming more specialised and began to buy and sell secondhand Role playing game books, wargaming books as well as Retro and Vintage wares. This change was heavily influenced by a some ex-Valhalla games stock, customer requests and my son’s RPG interest and his war gaming etc.
Article: Weekend Notes 2014 Retrorocket’s Dianella B&M shop (now closed)
Online with residential Stockroom in Girrawheen W.A.
After the B&M shop, Retrorocket moved back to the suburbs and became a primarily online venture again, with a residential stockroom and even more focus on website content i.e. role playing game and war gaming books like Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer 40K etc. Plus some board games. Online aspect was amped up during the Covid-19 pandemic, when we stopped set open days for stockroom visits and switched to posting-only for a couple years.
Photo above is from Wanneroo Times.
Article: Weekend Notes 2019 Retrorocket’s homeshop Girrawheen W.A. (open)
Reflection on the last decade
Whilst writing this, I revisited articles for a blog that I wrote in late 2010 on setting up a market stall and having a solely online business vs. Bricks and Mortar shop. Many of those ideas still ring true: without all the skills I gained from work for organisations within great teams, what I learnt at Murdoch University and T.A.F.E. and the support / advice given freely by friends, colleagues, teachers and family as well as what I learnt on-the-job, Retrorocket would not still be a going concern.
The fact that sole traders never do all the work in isolation is especially true thinking about the initial advice and support provided by Karl Brown, continued advice and feedback from my son re: RPG and Wargaming books and Toggo’s unstinting help posting all the things out to our customers.
Extra special thanks to all my friends / customers and sellers (past and present) and to my mother and sisters …who listen to me!
Kylie
June 2023-24