Photography courtesy of Alex Dunn

Over in the family-friendly suburb of Whitebridge sits a little-known shopping boutique brought to you by the Cox family. With husband and wife, Rodney & Kylie at the helm, and their two sons, Jett and Jace behind the scenes, Mokye is the coastal lifestyle store you didn’t know you needed until now.

Owners, Rodney and Kylie are both Lake Macquarie locals, and whilst they have spent their years gallivanting across the country for Rodney’s work postings with the Royal Australian Air Force, the family have called their Redhead property home for the past eight years.

The duo’s wholesome coastal homewares and lifestyle hobby turned business, celebrates its 1st birthday at their Whitebridge location on the 17th of February. To learn more about this local boutique, we chat with Kylie to hear all about how the business came to be, what it’s become known for, and what Mokye’s future looks like.

Kylie, having originally worked in the banking in the finance industry for over 15 years, was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and couldn’t find the ability to return to work.

“Chemotherapy left me with little feeling in my hands along with many other side effects. I took up macrame in an attempt to regain this. Here is where I found a love of creativity I never anticipated,” Kylie shared.

Not one to be found sitting at home, Kylie was soon creating more and more. Experimenting with numerous different mediums including ceramics, her recent discovery of a love of creating led to the Cox family opening Mokye in 2022.

“Mokye (Moh-Kye), meaning ‘Made by Kye’ is more than just a beautiful store. It’s a creative space to explore creativity and interact with like-minded people in the community who share a love of coastal-inspired living.”

Located just off the highway, away from the hustle and bustle of Charlestown Square, the area perfectly reflects the boutique’s relaxed nature and philosophy.

“We felt there was a need for a store in the Whitebridge, Dudley, and Redhead area, and we found the perfect spot here at 4/142 Dudley Road.”

Stepping into the store, on any given day you will be welcomed by one of Mokye’s delightful staff members. Spend your time browsing the boutique’s unique collection of products including baby products, homewares & wall art, women’s clothing & accessories, jewellery, furniture, footwear, and so much more.

“Whilst our brand base is still developing as we learn what our local customers desire, our best-known brands include Beuno Shoes, Human Shoes, Al.ive, Frank Green, Salty Shadows, and Rugged Hide.”

The Whitebridge-based store is open seven days a week for in-store shopping, and also has a dedicated online store for those who love an all-hours browse.