Arlene BONGETTI

Arlene’s view from “the office” is the envy of many. As manager of the menswear store Gazman she overlooks the main surf beach – oh, and that’s after driving the scenic route daily to Lorne from Deans Marsh where she now lives. She enhances this daily dose of nature and beauty by doing yoga, which she says is a passion.

Retail has been Arlene’s career from the beginning. She grew up and was educated in Melbourne and after leaving school worked at Myer and later at David Jones. When she married Brian, they moved to Lorne to live, twenty-six years ago. Two children later they moved to Aireys Inlet for eight years before settling in Deans Marsh.

Having children at Lorne P-12 made working in Lorne ideal. For eight years she was manager at Louttit Bay Menswear until the business was sold. Since then, she has been at Gazman.

Retail seems to be a family affair. Her daughter Sara is manager at Lorne Girl, son Rhys manages EB games in Colac and her youngest daughter Tamsin is a beautician.

“I’m a bit of a homebody“, Arlene admits and declares cooking as another passion. She is a vegetarian so the garden is a significant part of her life. When she first came to Lorne she played netball for the local team but now she mainly swims and enjoys the beach in summer.

It’s a good thing for business that she loves meeting the diverse range of people that pour into Lorne at that time of year.