Ella Munro of Elm Paper on the joys of owning her own stationery business

By
hero media
For a snapshot in time, we asked eight people around the country to reflect on Australia Now. Here, Ella Munro the owner of Elm Paper in SA, shares her thoughts on what the pandemic has taught her.

Keep reading our Australia Now series here.

What the pandemic taught her

We actually had our biggest year last year. Back in March and April, when it all sort of went pear-shaped, it went very quiet for a couple of months. Honestly, it was like a roller-coaster. I went from thinking that I was going to lose the whole business, to finishing the year having the biggest yet. I feel very, very lucky. We work with a lot of florists and because people were sending flowers online they added a card. That was kind of a saving grace. The most unexpected things came out of the situation. I think people started wanting to do something meaningful, so they would buy a card.

Why she started Elm Paper

I started Elm Paper because of a long-time love for stationery. The nostalgia of a handwritten note. There was no ‘saw a gap in the market’ moment, it was simply following what I love to do. The love of print. There are six of us at Elm Paper. I love the creative freedom, the flexibility of what I do; I’m not answerable to anyone.

Elm Paper products

Elm Paper is 100 per cent designed, crafted and packaged in Australia.

There are pros and cons to having your own business. The big pro is when raising young children you can pick them up from school and take them to after-school sport and all of that kind of stuff without having to worry about it or ask permission.

Ella Munro owner of Elm Paper in SA

Ella Munro loves running her own business in Adelaide.

Why she loves living in Adelaide

The thing I love most about living in Adelaide is probably the lifestyle. There are just so many beautiful beaches. And the Hills. And there’s lots of great restaurants that have popped up since I’ve moved back [from Sydney, where Munro worked as the art director of Vogue Australia]; that’s really exploded. Adelaide has definitely transformed. There’s little laneways, Leigh Street and Peel Street. It’s a lot cooler than it was. I love the festivals, the Adelaide Festival and the Fringe. It’s just such a great time and the city sort of comes alive. Being around family is obviously another really big factor; the kids growing up with their cousins.

Henley Beach

Henley Beach is a go-to destination. (Image: South Australia Tourism Commission)

The things I tell people about Adelaide are that the beaches are amazing, like Henley and Brighton and Port Willunga and the Star of Greece [restaurant]; it is like a Greek island down there. If they want to stay and do something a bit more regional, the Fleurieu and Yorke peninsulas are amazing. And in the Hills there’s this amazing new resort called Sequoia.

Alfred's Bar on Peel Street Adelaide

She rates laneway Peel Street, with spots like Alfred’s Bar. (Image: Jonathan Van Der Knaap)

Her hopes for the future

Obviously my ultimate hope for the future is that things just go back to how life was, and we’re not worrying about a pandemic in the background. There’s been some positive things that have come out of it, but then there are also families that have had a horrendous time. I don’t like using the term ‘the new normal’, so I think that I’d like things to stabilise.

hero media

This new bathhouse in Adelaide is focused on community

Adelaide just got a new bathhouse, and it’s all about community and connection.

It’s almost a rule that every year I get further from 30, the more all I want to do with my free time is bathe like a capybara in naturally hot water. In fact, I type this as someone who is about to take a long weekend with friends to do just that. So the news of bathhouse Aalto Community opening in September in Adelaide just means I have another wellness trip to plan.

Naming it a community wasn’t a mistake. The aim is “accessible, affordable and communal contrast therapy” that focuses on being a community, rather than an exclusive wellness club. To further this, it’s deliberately drop-in friendly. And the inspiration behind this motto? Four friends founded this place, who all had a shared experience in professional sports fields. They felt that spaces outside of work were vital to slow down, recover, reset and connect.

Aalto Community adelaide reception desk

Pop in for relaxation and connection. (Image: Jack Fenby)

For the last couple of years, I’ve been based in Western Australia playing football for the Fremantle Football Club,” said owner Tome Emmett. “During my time over there, I first began to use saunas and ice baths for my athletic recovery due to the physical demands of being a full-time professional athlete. Eventually, I found myself returning to these spaces – not for the physical recovery benefits, but to get out of my social bubble and socialise with other people.”

Emmet explained how the Aalto Community was born after he stopped playing for Fremantle and began to reflect on his wellness journey.

“On one end, I had stage four lymphoma at 16. On the other hand, I ended up becoming a full-time professional athlete. [These experiences] sparked my passion for social wellness, and in turn, Aalto was born.”

Aalto Community adelaide ice baths

The bathhouse focuses on communal hot and cold therapy spaces. (Image: Jack Fenby)

Inside, discover Adelaide’s first social contrast therapy space. A modern, open-plan centre (perfect for promoting that connection element. Here, it’s about hot-cold therapy, so Finnish-style saunas and cold plunge pools are the order of the day. Plus communal spaces to relax in between therapies.

“We deliberately made the space feel industrial – with bare concrete and exposed copper piping – but then softened it with over 150 plants,” Emmet says of the bathhouse decor choices. “The space is open plan with just some guidelines on the wall. That way, people can socialise and not be restricted to time slots in either the sauna or ice bath.”

“Sitting in the sauna forces you to be present and talk to the person next to you to pass time,” shared Emmett.

“We also have a big emphasis on our tea and lounge area, so people can stay for a little while longer, or have a cup of tea while they wait for their friend to arrive.”

Aalto Community adelaide interior

The bathhouse wants to promote community. (Image: Jack Fenby)

The Details

Price: $35 per entry, $150 for a five-pack or $60 per week for a membership.
Location: Unit 1/72 King William Road, Goodwood, SA 5034
Website: aaltocommunity.com.au