Businesses are finding an unexpected new home in a hidden part of Delacombe's industrial precinct.
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David Bailey is the latest to identify the "boutique and up and coming area" in the old Guncotton building, as a good home for his store Obscura Cameras.
He said the trendy area is good for stores which attract customers without relying on walk-ins like Ballarat's central business district.
The camera shop will join café and plant store The Greenhouse, leather shoe makers Wootten and Mode Property Styling.
Mode director Kym Quick said she was attracted to the warehouse six years ago because it was a "cool space" that had the potential to become a creative hub.
Built in the 1940s the Guncotton factory was used as an ammunition storage warehouse in World War II.
It is now subdivided into 14 warehouses.
Born and bred in Ballarat, Ms Quick has spent time living in Melbourne and Sydney and had seen the success of similar buildings with rich history, repurposed and given new life.
While Ms Quick's business doesn't have a retail aspect, she has enjoyed having other creatives working in the area and watching people discover the space.
"Everyone likes to think they've discovered something different and new," Ms Quick said.
"I'm sure when people say 'I'm going to take you to a great coffee shop in Delacombe', they park their car and think where the hell have you taken me.
"It is so unexpected and that's what people love about it."
Needing to grow
Mr Bailey said the main motivation for moving was because he had outgrown his store on Albert Street in Sebastopol.
The new store is 300 square metres, which means Mr Bailey can triple the retail space and have teaching rooms and rentable studios for photography and audio work or podcasting.
He said he rarely had people walking in from the street, so a somewhat hidden location like the Guncotton factory was perfect.
"People come to me for a specific reason ... whether I am in Sebas or hidden away in the back of Delacombe it really doesn't matter."
Camera trends keep business going
To some it may seem strange to be expanding a camera store when smartphones are so popular.
But Mr Bailey said people will often discover DSLR cameras when they want to print their work and realise they need a higher quality.
Increased interest in film photography has continued.
Mr Bailey said Kodak in America has increased manufacturing from one shift five days a week to three shifts seven days a week.
They are still struggling to keep up with demand, he said.
The demographics are spread from older generations picking up old equipment after realising they can still purchase film to younger generations experimenting with analogue mediums.