IN an age where supermarkets offer a wide range of options at hard-to-beat prices, you could be forgiven for wondering if the good old-fashioned general store still has a place in Australia life.
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The owner of Prince Street General Store Greg Parker knows only too well how hard it is to match the prices offered by his larger competitors who have the advantage of being able to buy in bulk and in turn sell at a discount.
What Mr Parker and other business operations like his offer is a different kind of service, the one we’ve always expected from our corner store, and that’s not to say big stores aren’t focused on customer service.
However as Mr Parker says, he doesn’t just sell milk, bread and papers, he and his family are part of their neighbourhood and know many of their customers by name.
Many people in this day and age feel isolated and lonely so in some cases the only contact they have is with the people who sell them their newspapers or cigarettes.
In fact, it’s not uncommon for Mr Parker to change a neighbour’s light bulb, mow their lawn or even offer them marital advice.
In today’s Central Western Daily Mr Parker talks about the increasing cost of running a small business.
Mr Parker said he and his family were committed to being small business operators and liked to think they were offering their customers a good, reliable service.
In the end the future of the corner store depends on one thing and that’s the patronage of the people in its community.
Just as we attend farmers’ markets throughout the region and feel good about supporting our farmers and growers, so too should we drop into the corner shop if we believe it’s an Australian institution we want to preserve.
