Who’s behind Tightarses? Can you tell us a bit more about yourself — what keeps you busy when you’re not hunting down deals, and what inspired you to start sharing them in the first place?
Tightarses of Melbourne is made up of three Fitzroy locals — me (Lisa), my partner Cam, and our dog Taco (well… sorta, he’s mostly here for the snacks). I’ve spent years working as a music promoter and youth worker, Cam’s a videographer/photographer, and Taco’s a very good boy (mostly).
The page kicked off about three years ago when I was programming a stage for Moomba Festival. We didn’t feel like lining up for overpriced spiral potatoes, so we went hunting for a cheeky feed and a drink. Ended up at Clocks at Flinders Street Station smashing $10 cocktails, when Cam made an offhand comment that more tightarses like us should know about spots like this. And just like that, Tightarses of Melbourne was born.
How did Tightarses of Melbourne come to life? Did you ever imagine it would become the beloved (and cheeky) guide it is today?
Our first posts were honestly so cringe. If you scroll back far enough, you’ll find them. We were actually trying to make the photos look bad, which was painful for Cam as a professional photographer.
After we posted about Clocks, I shared where to find FREE poo bags for dogs (that post was actually pretty popular). So no, with content like that, I never thought it’d turn into what it is now. It’s been a wild ride watching this little community grow or hearing people say how they found their new favourite venue, or meal. We love it, honestly.
Do you remember the very first “tight” deal you ever posted (or the one that really took off)? What made it stand out?
I’ll always remember the first. The image we provided was that day at Clocks. I can’t remember when the page started taking off, but I do remember that when we had about 3k followers, we started taking the page more seriously.
Your dog often pops up in your posts (and looks excellent in a costume). What’s their name, and what role do they play in the Tightarses operation?
Taco, he’s a 4.5 year old Labradoodle and he’s a big part of Tightarses. He keeps my lap warm while I’m adding deals to the directory, taps me on the leg while we are eating steak in dog friendly pubs, and forces us to take a walk when we need a break. He’s basically our mascot. We couldn’t do it without him, nor would we want to. How good are dogs!?
From dog costumes to voting on wine labels, it’s clear your followers love getting involved. What role does fun play in shaping what you share?
Our whole brand is cheeky. Our whole personality is cheeky, honestly. We never wanted to be one of those super polished, influencer-y pages (but zero shade).
It’s meant to feel like you’re getting tips from a mate who’s a bit of a smartass. Fun’s a massive part of it. That’s why we love getting people involved with silly polls, picking wine labels, and dressing Taco up in questionable outfits. It keeps things light and reminds people that good times don’t have to be expensive or serious.
Fitzroy is full of great spots and character. What makes this neighbourhood feel like the perfect fit for Tightarses, and have you always called the inner north home?
Okay, confession time. One third of Tightarses (me, Lisa) is actually not from Melbourne or even Australia. I moved here about 13 years ago and have only ever lived in Fitzroy North or Fitzroy. Cam is originally from Ballarat, but apart from that, he has only lived in Fitzroy too.
We couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Fitzroy is and always will be the home of Tightarses of Melbourne (unless our landlord decides to raise the rent). Hi Marty, we love you!
When you’re not scoping out happy hours or tracking down deals, where do you love spending time around Fitzroy? Cheering on the Roys, tightening up the buns at Pilates, browsing through vintage racks, or meandering down laneways?
When we aren’t glued to spreadsheets, out eating and drinking our way through Fitzroy + Melbourne, we are at the local dog park OR probably our spin studio. It’s become a bit of an obsession. So, we’re pretty much working on our tightarses/Tightarses all the time (see what we did there?).
What’s one budget-friendly gem or surprising spot in Fitzroy that people might not expect?
There are so many amazing spots in Fitzroy, it’s impossible to pick just one. Lucky for you, we have a whole directory full of them. But if I had to pick a gem, it’s Maven, we’ve been to twice on our own dime. The head chef and owner, Morgan, is seriously sweet and talented. The food is incredible, and I really hope this doesn’t come out before we make our next booking because I’m already getting hungry just thinking about it. And yes, they have deals!
As for a super budget-friendly, the oyster and spritz weekends at St Andrew’s are incredible value — and that place is super underrated.
A friend visits Melbourne for the first time and you’re giving them the Tightarses tour of Fitzroy. Where would you take them for a drink, a bite to eat and a wander?
This happens all the time. I’m always taking friends to Bonny or Amarillo for their happy hours, especially Bonny if they love oysters. For a great meal, it’s got to be Fitzroy Town Hall in front of the fireplace or for a late night ramen it’s straight to Izakaya by Tamura. For a bottomless brunch we are going Chicano Taqueria. And if we are looking for some free live music, Punters Club usually sorts us out.
Wandering down Brunswick Street or Gertrude Street is always a vibe because there is so much character and cool spots to discover (like $10 negronis at Archie’s All Day).
You’ve started a trivia habit this winter (great move). If you could set up the ultimate trivia table, what would your team name be — and who would score a seat on your all-star trivia team (famous faces or local legends)?
We always call ourselves Tightarses of Melbourne for a bit of shameless promo. My all-star trivia team would basically be the same as my dream dinner party guests. Just people that would be fun and kinda wacky. Martha Stewart, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, Jack Black, and if we’re allowed to pick someone who’s passed, Steve Irwin. I’d say his son, but I don’t want to sound like a creep if you’ve seen that BONDS ad.
You’ve built a community that’s all about finding joy in the little things and supporting local along the way. What’s been the most surprising or rewarding part of that journey so far?
Honestly, the most rewarding part of running Tightarses is when a venue messages to say they were smashed with customers after we did a post. It’s great when tightarses find deals, but when we get to support business owners that work so hard to make their venue a success, and we get to help, it brings a little fire to my belly and makes me want to explore and bring Melbourne MORE.
If you could dream up a Tightarses signature cocktail, what would you name it — and what delicious ingredients would you choose?
Great question! It would have to be something peachy obviously, probably with mezcal or tequila with a bit of a spicy twist. Don’t know what that is, but if there’s a venue that will make it for us, we will see you soon!
Are you a planner when it comes to deals, or do you love spontaneous finds?
Type A planner. We are very happy to wander into a spot if it’s got a great deal or looks like a vibe, but with a whole directory of 750 venues, you can believe Tightarses rarely have space for spontaneous finds.
What’s one place you’d splurge (just a little), even though you’re usually all about tight deals?
We like a splurge every once in a while. Cam is very much into degustations, so when we splurge, it’s usually hard and puts us back hundreds.
What song would be on the Tightarses hype playlist before heading out on a deals mission?
‘Robbery’ by Billions is a VIBE by two super talented Melbourne-based artists. It energises me when I hear it and reckon it should be the unofficial (official) song for Melbourne.
There’s a lyric that says “You should come join me in the bar if it’s a Wednesday”, this is our whole vibe. Weeknights are for going out too.
Has there ever been a deal you shared that you secretly wanted to keep to yourself?
YES! Recently, Albion Hotel had a Jackpot Joker of $3,100 and we really wanted to WIN so we waiting to share because we didn’t want too much competition. We didn’t win and shared on the page the next week. Hope one of our Tightarse followers won, if not we will be back again to try our luck.
If you could take the Tightarses approach to another city overseas, where would you go, and why?
Probably our hometown, Philadelphia. There are heaps of similarities between the two cities when it comes to food, music, street art, and that gritty, creative vibe. Both places are packed with live music venues, indie theatre, dive bars, and community festivals. They both value creativity and the weird, wonderful stuff you won’t find on tourist maps.
Melbourne’s home for us, and we will not be going back, but if we had a gun to our head (very Philly), that’s probably where we’d take Tightarses.
Tightarses has a way of turning budget finds into something exciting and full of personality. What’s on the horizon — are there any new projects or ideas you’re excited about next?
We have heaps coming up. We get lots of random ideas and some of them take off, some not so much… we did a “Mulled Wine Challenge” that gave us an idea so expect to see some more fun activities you can do and places to explore. As they say, watch this space.
FL: We’ll raise a glass to that. 🍷
For someone keen to explore Melbourne without blowing the budget, what’s your number one piece of advice?
Follow @tightarsesofmelbourne and explore our deal directory over at tightarses.au.
