Interview * Sarah Cooper * The Brainery Store

Sarah Cooper the brains behind The Brainery Store. Photo: Tara Pearce

Iconic timber classroom chairs have unexpectedly become the symbol of The Brainery Store (the ‘brainchild’ of Melbourne-based contemporary dancer Sarah Cooper). Not just because Sarah busies herself transporting her chairs across country Victoria from POP-UP lecture venue to pop-up lecture venue, but because they really do symbolise what The Brainery Store is all about: inviting people to make time to stop, take a seat, be inquisitive, learn, share & enjoy new knowledge, new concepts, new CREATIONS & new acquaintances.

If it’s possible to give an ‘in a nutshell’ description of The Brainery Store it might be simply to describe it as a series of pop-up lectures, the first of which was held on the 31st July in Geelong during the Autumn+Winter Term. Now into its first Spring+Summer Term, The Brainery Store has popped-up in Kyneton!

The premise of the The Brainery Store is not to bring city culture to the country (or vice versa for that matter). Rather, it is more of an invitation to participate in a shared journey to greater knowledge and community & social connection; a kind of roving FESTIVAL of passion-fueled ideas, innovation & inspiration.

So, what might you expect to get from attending these lectures? The answer is refreshing. Quite unlike the fast, easy, predictable material-world of consumerism, The Brainery Store offers something OTHER. Just what that other is I’ll leave you to discover for yourself.

The first lecture of the Kyneton series, hosted at Goldie & Co.’s new studio workspace in Mollison Street, kicked off with southern New Orleans/Louisiana po’boy food provided by local Nola Poorboy food truck, wine & cider by the glass and a pop-up magazine store (Dumbo Feather + more) and continued into the evening with a MOTIVATING & informative talk presented by Simon Goodrich co-founder and managing director of Australian technology company Portable. Lecture topics vary greatly and change as The Brainery Store roams the countryside and meets new people with inspiration to offer.

If this post seems a little more obtuse than most; it’s meant to be. If the photos mostly show empty chairs; they’re meant to. AND, if you noticed that Sarah doesn’t look directly at the camera; well, that’s not by chance either. The Brainery Store is less about Sarah and more about her desire to encourage people to seek & share and to celebrate finding new ideas in unexpected, uncommon & inspiring places. Bringing the crowd & getting bums on seats is up to US! You can check out The Brainery Store’s Spring+Summer Term offerings at its Kyneton pop-up on The Brainery Store’s website. Enjoy! x

Sarah Cooper, The Brainery Store. Photo Tara Pearce

Sarah Cooper, The Brainery Store. Photo Tara Pearce

Sarah Cooper, The Brainery Store. Photo Tara Pearce

Tell us a little bit about your background – what path led you to where you are now?

I’m actually trained in contemporary dance and was on an internship in New York during 2011, where I found a concept similar to The Brainery Store. It was here in which I thought – I don’t have to be or do one thing. So here I am now – a contemporary dancer working at The Brainery Store.

Tell us about ‘The Brainery Store’. What exactly is it & how did your AMAZING business concept come about?

Whilst in New York, I met up with the creators of an organisation similar to The Brainery Store, from there I began to shape and mould it to become what It is now – which is a series of pop-up lectures in different locations across Australia. It’s a simple idea about sharing the things people know.  I love this simplicity within this concept.

What makes you so passionate about ‘selling’ knowledge and inspiration?

My mum always says you have to be ‘a fixer and doer’ and so that’s what I do. I’m not so much passionate about selling, I’m passionate about making things happen. I have always found people and their stories really interesting, so I guess I turned this into a live format.

Can you give us a little insight into where or who or what do you draw your inspiration from?

In terms of looking out for people to give lecture’s at The Brainery Store, I have a few (not very uncommon) go to sources:
Broadsheet
The Age
Dumbo Feather
Instagram (in general)

How do you select contributors/lecturers/speakers/creatives for The Brainery Store?

As above – I have to know that these select people are aware of WHY they do what they do. Not just able to talk about what they do. I’m really not interested in being sold a product/business/success. The best lectures are heart talks.

You only launched on 31 July this year. How has The Brainery Store been received?

Oh, I have been so thrilled with the response we’ve had so far. There were 5 sell out lectures in Geelong and an incredible Backyard Party with Dumbo Feather to end on. Geelong was a test and they passed. Now, it’s Kyneton’s turn!

The Brainery Store has popped up in Geelong and now Kyneton. Tells us about the motivation behind taking The Brainery Store to country regional towns?

I grew up on Mt Dandenong and then as a 22-year-old, lived in an old nunnery with my boyfriend at the top of the mountain, in a quiet place called Kalorama. He was touring a lot with his band and I would often be there alone. In this time I was travelling into the CBD everyday and my friends would harp on about moving into their Brunswick share houses. It really hurt and I thought, hey, I can be cool without living in Brunswick (what is cool anyway?) And then we moved to Northcote to be closer for work and I guess to try a different way of living, and I started to realise, that yes there was a lot more happening in these areas and that yes I didn’t feel so isolated. Now before I sound like a hypocrite… I then came up with the idea of taking The Brainery Store to regional locations, so that you don’t have to live in the inner city to find something like The Brainery Store.

What does a typical day in the life of Sarah Cooper ‘The seller of inspiring lectures/owner of The Brainery STore’ look like; from when you wake to when you go to sleep?

At the moment it generally involves coffee in the morning (pretty obvious) and emails and exploring and driving long distances and eating and running (not going for a run for exercise, instead running from one place to another – it’s a good way to get around)

You reside in Northcote. Do you consider yourself to be a ‘Countryphile’? Do you love country life? Why?

Yes, I do. I do thrive off the busyness of Northcote. However, I didn’t grow up here. I grew up in the hills and I go ‘home’ every week to check in with that sense of quiet and identity.

What, if any, aspect of popping-up in the country are you loving MOST at the moment?

I absolutely love meeting new people and exploring these towns. I don’t know why more people haven’t invented this job –it’s great.

What is the most CHALLENGING aspect of taking The Brainery Store to outposts in the country?

Logistics and chairs. I’m always counting chairs.

Do you prefer Coffee or Tea? Your favourite country café and why?

Coffee. By far. Bottle Of Milk in Lorne is a favourite, as is Breakfast and Beer in Daylesford.

What and where was the last great meal you enjoyed/shared in the country?

I recently had a beautiful meal at Boom Gallery, from Rue Cler Market who have just commenced serving meals from there. It was incredible and highly recommended.

Where would we find you on a typical Saturday morning?

I haven’t quite figured out a typical week yet that allows for one of those dreamy Saturday mornings!

What can we expect NEXT from you/your business in the future?

Travelling along highways and hills.

What are you looking FORWARD to and why?

I’m looking forward to some exciting upcoming projects and colabs.

What would be your dream project?

I think I’m doing it!

Can you list for us 5 specific things you turn to/do when you need of a ‘dose’ of country life?

1. Go to my parents’ place at the foothills of the Mt Dandenongs.
2. Escape to our family beach house at Cape Paterson.
3. A day trip to the Hepburn Bathhouse Spa.
4. Stroll along Piper St, Kyneton, (of course!).
5. Castlemaine exploring.

Sarah Cooper
The Brainery Store
Spring+Summer Term
Pop-Up at Goldie & Co
80 Mollison Street
Kyneton