About Poplar Way Advisory Partners

Official business details

Poplar Way Advisory Partners is the registered business name under which we provide retail business planning and expansion support. The firm was established in 2014 in Melbourne, Victoria, after founder Claire Whitfield saw too many capable shop owners sign second leases without a written plan for stock, staff, or cash reserves.

Our origin

Claire spent eight years as operations manager for a six-store homewares group across inner Melbourne. When that group was acquired, several store managers approached her privately for help opening their own doors. Poplar Way began as evening and weekend advisory work from a shared office in Collingwood. By 2016 the practice had grown enough to move to our current address and take on associates with backgrounds in commercial leasing and retail buying.

What we believe

A second shop should extend what already works — your product mix, your customer relationships, your way of running a floor — not copy a generic franchise playbook. We sit with you among the shelves and the POS reports, not in a boardroom talking about abstract growth.

Our team

Claire Whitfield — Principal adviser. Fourteen years in Victorian retail operations. Leads expansion planning engagements.

Marcus Tan — Associate adviser. Former commercial leasing manager for two major shopping centres. Leads site selection reviews.

Priya Nair — Operations specialist. Background in rostering and training for specialty grocery and health-food retailers. Leads staffing and operations plans.

Working with clients

We meet at our Melbourne office, at your existing shop, or on video when you are outside the metro area. Most engagements run six to eight weeks. We work with boutiques, homewares stores, specialty grocers, gift shops, and small chains of up to five doors.

Community

Poplar Way sponsors the annual Victorian Independent Retailers meet-up and contributes articles to the Retail Traders Association newsletter on lease literacy and stock planning.