BREWARRINA-born Robert 'Robbie' Carroll moved to the big smoke in the late '80s to follow dreams of millinery, fashion design and all-things men's retail.
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Eyeing off a newspaper advertisement, he plunged into the world of top-of-head attire - where his dreams were then officially ignited.
"I loved hats and I wanted to study millinery, but you couldn't study it unless you worked in it," Mr Carroll explained.
"So, I applied for the job and I got it; and the rest is history - I've been a fan of hats ever since."
After studying for two years and "working under a few older milliners in Sydney", the then-24-year-old Mr Carroll set off to the United Kingdom to study advanced millinery at the London College of Fashion.
Upon his return a year later, Mr Carroll then spent the next 30-odd years hatting in the city - from hat designing for big labels, launching a hat line with his nephew - who is now a successful illustrator in New York - and managing the iconic Strand Hatters in the Strand Arcade.
"I love anything to do with men, masculinity, men's products, hats, ties, grooming products - it's just what I'm attracted to," he said.
"I love gin, I love whisky, I love all of the bloke-y things - real country and camping-type things - even though I don't do any of it," he laughed, "but I'm so attracted to it, it's like this sort of country-life or ethos that's a part of me - it's in my blood."
Though, around three years ago, Mr Carroll's father became ill, which lead to a big smoke extraction for the Brewarrina-born man.
"I was just not happy in the city anymore and my dad was crook, so, I came back [to the Central West] and I had coffee with dad every day," he said.
"I lived at my sister's farm for a little while and honestly, it was one of the best things I've ever done - to come home and just hang out with dad in Dubbo."
Getting his driver's licence and becoming an authorised marriage celebrant also got checked off of the "always wanted to do it" list in that time, with a move to the Cabonne Shire popping up on the cards when a two-story heritage property was purchased.
Working in different realms of retail and corporate alongside one another in Sydney, Peter 'Pete' Manwaring and Mr Carroll formed a friendship many years ago, with ideas of one day merging visions of retirement and creativity all in one.
Now, with Mr Carroll's Molong Stores officially up and running, his hat shop runs from the downstairs section - of what's famously nicknamed 'upstairs downstairs' - of the Bank Street heritage building in Molong, which has undergone a rather large facelift over the past few years - and its vision continues to morph into something bigger even still.
"So, Molong Stores is part of the creative umbrella that is LongMo's, - Pete and Lian's brand - with the shop being the first part of that," Mr Carroll explained.
"One of our biggest things is we just want to add to it. Molong is a beautiful town, we don't want to change it, we love it just the way it is - we love the people, it's a working class town, it's got good pubs - we want to enhance the creativity here."
With the birth of an urban hub in Molong set to launch on March 19, revealing renovations which will operate as recording studios across both music and dance and feature live-gig evenings, as well.
In the meantime, Robbie Carroll will continue his store venture, with 'Meet the Maker' nights in the pipeline - where bubbles and nibbles will be available for event-goers to see product makers whip up things from hats, to belts, candles and more, in real-time.
It would seem that 40 Bank Street has warranted a label well and truly fit for 'watch this space' - with more to be revealed soon.
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