HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY MICKEY BLUE

Mickey Blue has been a favourite of locals for twenty years and the support continues. As a thank you, Mickey Blue is offering a Happy Birthday 20% discount during the month of October (Some Exclusions Apply).

Owner, Michael King shares some insights into how the business started and the ideology behind the brand:

For over nine months I looked for a place to start a clothing shop for men. The hunt took me to many areas in Melbourne. I finally found a home for it in Main Street Mornington, and the location has proved excellent.

My aim has always been to stock modern cut suits and constantly change the range to keep the shop appealing and interesting. The suits are backed up by a quality range of smart casual clothing, ties, shoes, shirts and accessories. Essentially, if you are looking for an outfit for business, a school formal, going out, the races or getting married, then there is no need to travel out of Mornington; it’s all here.

My aim has always been to stock modern cut suits and constantly change the range to keep the shop appealing and interesting

I’m frequently asked about the name of the store, which sort of came out of thin air. I needed something with the right number of syllables that easily rolled off the tongue and was easy to remember. Mickey Blue does just that.

Outgrowing the small space after only about one year, I managed to expand into the shop next door in 2019, creating the working space I desperately needed. We now have two workstations to sit down with couples when helping to dress men for their wedding. The change was immediately dramatic in both turnover and comfort and I wished I had been able to expand years before.

Dressing men for their wedding is a big part of the business and I have learnt that helping couples find the right outfits for them is almost an art form. We prefer to never just talk to the groom. We always encourage the bride to come along so we can chat about her dress, the bridesmaids’ dresses, the flowers, the venue and really find out what sort of wedding the couple are after; only then can we properly help them find the best look for their big day.

We keep an eye on trends and consider many suppliers for fabrics, colours and styles. Mickey Blue won first place at the Wedding Industry Awards for the Greater Melbourne region in the suits and formalwear category in 2023, the second such award we have received.

We attend many local wedding expos to display our suits and the next is on Sunday 20 October at the Mornington Racecourse; maybe we’ll see you there.

Personally, I am in favour of natural fibres. The vast majority of the range in Mickey Blue is Australian Merino Wool or linen or cotton or silk. I prefer quality over brand name and calculate a value equation on everything I stock; is the quality of this product worth its selling price?

This approach keeps me proud of the business and customers know they are getting what they pay for. Being a small business, we provide personal service to everyone who buys from us which is something you rarely find in a department store. This means a suit is properly fitted. We range and can order across extra small to extremely large and with short and tall fittings. Not every suit will come in those sizes and part of the service is advising on the correct range for a customer. For those who want more choice we offer a custom-made service in suits with a current turnaround time of about four weeks.

Service standards don’t merely happen. The key element is employing staff who possess not only a deep understanding of the stock and business but also an ability to listen and respond with the best outcome for the customer. Our approach is always about what the customer wants and needs.

Look for the blue mannequins and pop in to say hi!