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Man of Many’s Staff Favourites is back to brighten up your weekend as we celebrate the products, services, entertainment, and experiences that have caught our eye over the week.
We get to try so much of the cool, novel, and curious on a daily basis, but these encounters don’t always result in full write-ups or reviews. So we collect them here in the hope you’ll find something new and exciting to give your week a lift.
This week features an incredible whisky, some great workwear and a pocket synthesiser, of all things. Here we go!
1. HOKA’s New Pitt St Flagship – A Win for Sydney Runners
Hannah Maher – Sales & Partnerships coordinator
Walking into HOKA’s new Pitt Street flagship, it was immediately obvious this wasn’t just another store opening. The place was buzzing. Runners catching up after work, creators snapping photos, athletes talking shoes and a DJ keeping the energy high all night. It felt less like a retail launch and more like the Sydney running community had found a new meeting spot. The first thing that struck me was just how big the space is. Spread across two levels, there’s plenty of room to explore without feeling crowded, and every corner gives you another reason to stick around a little longer.
Downstairs was easily my favourite part. HOKA has partnered with The Running Room to create a dedicated space where you can book an appointment with a physiotherapist, have your running gait analysed and get personalised advice on the best shoes for the way you run. It’s such a clever addition because it turns buying a new pair of runners into a genuinely tailored experience.
If opening night is anything to go by, this flagship is set to become much more than a retail store. It’s a place for Sydney’s running community to connect, learn and, of course, pick up a fresh pair of shoes. A huge thank you to the lovely team at Portobello PR for the invitation and to HOKA for putting on such a great evening. I’ll definitely be back and next time, I might not be able to resist leaving with a new pair.
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2. Kansu Works – Workwear for every day
Frank Arthur – Co-Founder
While Kansu Works technically designs purpose-built hospitality workwear, you definitely don’t need to be shaking cocktails behind a bar or running a kitchen pass to appreciate what they’re doing. The brand beautifully blends the precision of Japanese craftsmanship with raw workwear durability, making clothing meant for good food, good music, and good company. As someone who deeply appreciates good design, I love seeing gear that refuses to sacrifice style for function. It’s just well-made apparel that completely stands up on its own.
I recently picked up a couple of their tees, and the graphics hit that perfect sweet spot of nostalgic, vintage-inspired charm without trying too hard. If you’re looking for gear that looks sharp and is genuinely built to last, Kansu Works is well worth keeping on your radar.
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3. Stylophone Beat – The Pocket Synth I Got at MoMA
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
I picked this up almost by accident, poking around the MoMA Design Store in New York with my fiancée, Jem. Sitting between the usual homewares and gift-shop bits was this little retro-looking synth I couldn’t walk past.
The Stylophone Beat is Dubreq’s update on the pocket synth Bowie made famous decades ago, except now there’s a proper beat machine bolted onto the side of it. You run the stylis along the metal touch strip to play the melody while a built-in drum sequencer thumps away underneath, and somehow the combination and the looping makes you sound like you know what you’re doing (I promise you I don’t).
What’s kept it on my desk rather than in a drawer is how easy it is to stumble onto a catchy bass line without any musical training. The touch strip is unforgiving in a good way, slide the pen a millimetre and the note bends, so you end up with these gritty little riffs almost by accident. The built-in speaker is tinny, but that’s kinda the point, it forces you to just play on your own rather than overthink it.
If you’re after a proper instrument this isn’t it, but if you want something that turns ten spare minutes into a genuinely fun creative fidget on the couch, it’s worth every cent.
Disclosure: I purchased this product myself at the MoMA Design Store in New York. No brand relationship.
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4. Dark Lark 2026 – My New Favourite Whisky
Rob Stott – Editor-in-Chief
In my ongoing journey to become a certified Whisky Guy, I’ve been using a running ChatGPT prompt to track my evolving palate. After six months of rigorous “research”, the data is in: I lean toward rounder, more complex expressions. I want something smooth and multi-layered with a touch of sweetness – nothing that punches you square in the jaw.
And right now, I have a new frontrunner: Dark Lark.
Available directly from Lark’s website, the No.166 Dark Lark 2026 marks the sixth annual mid-winter release from the iconic Tasmanian distillery. It arrives housed in a stunning, matte-black 700ml bottle designed to evoke the moody energy of a late night out. Inside, however, you’ll find an expression that’s classically rich yet unexpectedly vibrant.
As I logged in my ChatGPT note last night, Dark Lark is smooth as silk. It offers a sweet, creamy palate that unfolds gradually with notes of dark chocolate and sticky figs. True to its name, it’s the ultimate nightcap – a dram that evolves the longer you sit with it. Best of all? At AUD$150, it sits at a remarkably accessible price point, making it a perfect drop for whisky rookies and seasoned connoisseurs alike.
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