In a landscape dominated by big-box bottle shops and mass-produced spirits, REH Liquids has entered the chat as a refreshing (pun intended) revolution. Founded by Charlotte and Joelene, a Melbourne mother-daughter duo, REH is a love letter to women, community, and conscious indulgence.
Pronounced “RAY,” and cleverly spelling HER backwards, REH Liquids shines a light on female-founded brands, better-for-you beverages, and the growing movement toward mindful drinking. With over 60% of their curated range created by women, and a focus on everything from natural wines to nootropics, REH is reimagining what a bottle shop can be: beautiful, intentional, and empowering. Following their recent relaunch, REH has entered its next era: one where every sip tells a story, and every visit feels like stepping into a world built by and for her.
Charlotte and Joelene, founders of REH Liquids
Let’s start at the beginning, what inspired the creation of REH Liquids, and why was it important for you to build Melbourne’s first female-led liquor store?
It all began with a genuine personal desire to create something different. Across Australia, there are thousands of bottle shops, yet around 80% are owned by the same male-dominated corporations. The few independents that do exist often feel outdated, uninviting, and stocked with subpar products.
As a woman immersed in the worlds of social media and consumer culture, I couldn’t help but notice how much space is dedicated to beauty and skincare — industries that speak directly to women and what we put on our bodies. But what about what we put in them? Most bottle shops are filled with drinks that are sugar-heavy, sulfate-packed, and chemically produced for maximum profit at minimal quality.
REH was born from a desire to change that, to create a space where women can explore, learn, and enjoy better-for-you beverages. A space that celebrates mindful indulgence, female-founded brands, and the joy of discovering something truly good for you.
REH is HER backwards, can you share the story behind the name and how it reflects your mission and values?
REH is “her” backwards, which is a quiet nod to Joelene’s dyslexia and how we can turn something that might feel like a barrier into a power. It’s pronounced “RAY,” like the song she used to sing to me as a kid “you are my little ray of sunshine”. For Mum, it’s always been about creating a space that shines a light on all the different HER’s out there: every stage of life, every drinking choice, all welcome.
For me, REH is a character. She’s her. She’s your best friend, your mum, your childhood sidekick. She’s safe, supportive, a little cheeky, and she wants to see you win. Like a ray of sun, she makes you feel good just by being around. That’s why walking into REH doesn’t feel like walking into a bottle shop, it feels like you’re walking into someone’s world.
Over 60% of the brands you stock are female-founded. Why was championing women in the liquor and beverage industry such a key focus for you?
Women were always the starting point. When we built REH, we weren’t just curating drinks, we were curating whose stories get told. The liquor industry has long been male-dominated, leaving many female producers overlooked, underfunded, or dismissed as “niche.” Yet time and time again, their creations prove to be some of the most innovative, thoughtful, and better tasting in the industry.
For us, stocking female-founded brands isn’t a quota or a marketing hook, it’s natural. It’s how we drink, who we believe in, and who we want our customers to discover.
The liquor and beverage world can be very male-dominated. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced as a female founder in this space, and how did you overcome them?
Walking into this industry as women, especially a young woman and a mother-daughter duo, meant we weren’t always taken seriously. Landlords questioned whether we could handle a lease, suppliers underestimated us, and plenty of men offered “advice” we never asked for.
We’ve even copped the hate online.
But instead of shrinking, we doubled down. We built REH in our own lane, a space that doesn’t look or feel like the bottle shops men design. We let the work speak: the curation, the events, the community. And honestly? Every time someone doubts us, it just fuels us.
REH is proof that women don’t just belong in this space, we’re reshaping it.
REH Liquids recently went through a relaunch. What motivated this new chapter, and what’s changed since the brand’s rebirth?
The relaunch came from a mix of necessity and vision. We hit a point where we knew REH deserved to feel as strong on the outside as she always did on the inside. The first version of the store was our proof of concept and the relaunch was our glow-up.
We took the time to refine everything: the stock, the layout, the storytelling, even the way we show up online. The goal wasn’t to change who REH was, but to amplify her.
What’s changed is the energy. The shelves are sharper, the events are bigger, and the community feels even more connected. We’ve grown up a little, but we’ve kept that same cheeky, best-friend vibe. This new chapter is about showing people that REH isn’t just a store you visit once, she’s a world you want to be part of.
Your range goes beyond traditional alcohol to include nootropics and non-alcoholic drinks. How do you see REH Liquids fitting into the growing movement of mindful drinking and conscious indulgence?
From the start, REH was never just about alcohol, it was about liquids in every form. People are rethinking how they drink, and we’re 100% here for it. Mindful drinking doesn’t mean cutting the fun out, it means adding options in.
REH fits into this movement because we’re curating the future, not the past. Whether you’re drinking tonight or not, you should still have something in your glass that feels special.
Conscious indulgence is about choice, and REH is about making those choices beautiful.
Looking ahead, what’s your vision for REH Liquids? Where do you hope the journey will take you next, both for the store and the community you’re building?
Our vision has always been bigger than a single store. REH is a world, a community, a culture, a way of drinking and living that feels elevated. Looking ahead, we want to expand that world: new collaborations, new events, maybe new spaces. Always intentional, always REH.
REH is just getting started. The vision? To make mindful, stylish drinking the norm in Australia and to show that women-led spaces can set the standard in the industry.
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