Demolition Den manager Shannon Mein and owner Nurcan Karahan are rage room specialists – a trend that has seen search activity rise 19 per cent in the past quarter. Picture: Shae Beplate.
Times may be tight, but Australians aren’t willing to give up on parts of life that make them feel good with a new wave of ‘experience-first’ businesses cashing in.
From rage rooms where customers pay to smash objects, to dog cafes and cat hangouts where owners can unwind with their furbabies, new trend search data shows demand for lifestyle-led businesses surging – venues that offers stress relief, social connection and a break from the everyday grind.
Demolition Den manager Shannon Mein in a file picture at their premises on Ingham Road. Picture: Shae Beplate.
It found the places attracting the most search demand included reformer pilates, which recorded around two million monthly searches, up 54 per cent over the past year.
Cat cafes followed with about 1.2 million monthly searches, rising 11 per cent year-on-year, while pilates studios reached 905,000 searches, up 58 per cent.
Vintage shops also saw strong interest at 637,000 monthly searches, increasing 36 per cent, alongside dog cafes at 605,000 searches, up 28 per cent.
Matcha cafes recorded 365,000 monthly searches, surging 128 per cent year-on-year.
Among smaller but fast-growing categories, rage rooms attracted 72,000 monthly searches, rising 19 per cent over the past quarter.
Bubble tea shops reached 47,000 searches, up 53 per cent over the year, while mocktail bars recorded 23,000 searches, increasing 27 per cent. Dessert cafes, though smaller in volume at 9,000 monthly searches, saw the most dramatic growth, soaring 1,547 per cent year-on-year.
Amy Jiao with Chops at a cat cafe/supermarket that opened in Southport. Picture: Glenn Campbell
A special frothy treat for Chops at a cat cafe. Picture: Glenn Campbell
Millions of Aussies are actively looking for venues that go beyond traditional retail or standard hospitality, according to AnyBusiness director of operations, Mary Tamvakologos.
“Consumers are no longer only looking for convenience,” she said. “They are looking for businesses that feel like a lifestyle choice, a social experience or something worth talking about.”
Ms Tamvakologos said these are among the fastest-growing businesses which offer a lesson for others that may be struggling.
“The most appealing businesses in this space are not just selling a product or service once. They often create habits.”
Demolition Den literally allows you to just smash things up to remove rage. Picture: Shae Beplate.
“Pilates studios build membership models, vintage shops benefit from frequent browsing and changing stock, and cafes built around a trend like matcha or bubble tea can attract repeat footfall, premium pricing and strong social media visibility.”
Ms Tamvakologos said buyers were increasingly drawn to businesses that feel current and culturally relevant.
“There has been a noticeable shift towards businesses that feel fresh, visual and experience-led … For buyers, these concepts can feel more exciting because they often come with built-in demand and stronger brand pull.”
For business owners willing to take the risk, the shift was seeing strong branding, community appeal and repeat visitation not only capturing attention but turning into moneymakers.