People-driven aim hits 'under offer' status for Cumnock General Store listing

But add its potential demise to a growing list of services already lost to the community and the threat of another closure weighs heavily on those who call that town home.

Heavily enough to take action, and then bid to buy it.

The heritage-listed Cumnock General Store was facing shutdown if it couldn't find a buyer, sitting on the market since 2021 without an interested purchaser.

Unwilling to surrender to that reality, the community rallied together to save the store.

"We've lost a lot of shops over the years and losing the pub impacted the town significantly, so the general store was the last thing we wanted to let go of," resident of more than 20 years, Phil Dodds said.

"We want to make a town that we can be really proud of and a place where our kids can grow up and have a community they love to be in.

"So we're making sure that happens."

A group of residents merged brains to eventually form what's become the Cumnock General Store Committee.

The group includes around 10 members, of which many are from the town's committee that was behind the mammoth biennial event, The Long White Lunch.

Recently making some serious headway, plans to buy and then operate the business have come to life.

While it's not "legally binding", it's now officially under offer.

A huge step in the store's big rescue, the group has pulled in funds to chew into its $359,000 price tag.

"We're up over halfway now and it's reaching a point where we're ready to start executing plans, so the determination is high, the enthusiasm is high," Mr Dodds said.

"We've just got to hit our bigger target now, which I'm pretty sure we'll do, and I'm very confident that the rubber hits the road after that."

The Long White Lunches committee has raised money in the past to plough into successful facility, educational and recreational upgrades in the village.

It's now directed all of its focus to facilitating the buy-back of the iconic two storey building.

Providing banking and postal services, groceries and hardware items since it started operating in 1882, Cumnock General Store is the definition of a one-stop shop.

It's only had four owners in its lengthy 140-year history, but current owners Greg and Paula Rudd are ready for (a well-earned) retirement.

"The town was desperate for someone to rescue it and Greg and I were looking for something different to do [at the time]," Paula Rudd told the Central Western Daily after it went on the market.

"We jumped in and bought it. We cleaned it up, fixed it up, built it up and we're really proud of what we've achieved.

"We are so proud of the history and have always felt we only held the reins for our turn."

And while that turn feels up for the Rudd's after holding those reins for the past seven years, the community isn't giving up hope for the next hands to take over.

Describing many of the new committee's members as the "next generation of real go-getters" in Cumnock, Mr Dodds said he's very excited about what a people-driven purchase will mean for the town's future.

Increased tourism, generating more employment, village comraderie - derived positives all topping the list equally.

"We do have a lot of powerhouses behind this and I think there's a lot of new blood in this committee that we haven't seen before," Mr Dodds said.

"And we're all very active and enthusiastic people who also love this town, so we're raising as much capital as we can to make this all work for everyone."

Conversations have been active between the committee and Metcash, Mr Dodds said.

It's an Aussie-based company leading wholesale distribution and marketing with a diversified business across food, grocery, hardware and liquor sectors.

The hope is that the conglomerate will partner with and guide the future shop - just as Metcash does for a multitude of IGA stores already sprawled across the region.

"The vision is that we have a cafe with great coffee, maintain the post office with banking and have our bare essential items and groceries, even have takeaway meals available, and keep the hardware section in some capacity," committee member, Sarah Haynes said.

"We have all of this amazing food and wine at our doorstep in this region with incredible produce and we're on the road through to the [Dubbo] zoo.

"So if we can market ourselves as that tourist road and try to pull those people in, have products they want to buy, have great food and great coffee, then people will come.

"This is a really, really great opportunity for our community."

If all goes to plan with the intent to purchase, a full-time manager would be on the books and overseeing the store.

But renovations would first take place to completely revamp and revive the space, with the not-for-profit group realistic about relying on volunteer support to get those jobs done.

Talk of using the wider 305 metre squared lot to utilise the space for entertainment and functions is also on the cards - making up for the hotel void after Bowhay's Royal Hotel shut around six years ago.

"The impact of not having this would be quite big, it would be huge to lose this store," committee member, Bron Flick said.

"Which stretches to the loss of school and pre-school banking, little businesses that rely on those services ... the plan is to hopefully have energy here, too and in terms of pipe dreams, maybe we can get some accommodation going here in the future, as well."

The funds to save this two-storey building have been sourced through what the group set-up as memberships.

Each member of the Cumnock General Store commits a donation of $1000 which is put toward the purchase.

Fundraising from The Long White Lunch event will be post-purchase directed - such as demolition, renovations, trades and other facelift and fit-out requirements.

"The memberships aren't exclusive to Cumnock residents by any means, we're open to everybody's support," Mr Dodds said.

"Although if people do sign-up by May 1, they'll be considered a founding member for taking a punt on us and that founding title stays forever."

The listing's agent with Peter Fisher Real Estate, Jacob Evans confirmed that "a community group" is actively in the process of purchasing the store.

Mr Evans said the group has made proceedings toward the sale.

"The long and the short of it is that the group are trying to purchase the store as part of the community's interest and a set-up entity that would operate it moving forward," he said.

"[Those members] have basically made proceedings towards doing that and have put something forward to buy the store and are making steps towards [that end goal].

"They still have a few hoops to jump through and a couple of things to get sorted before they can officially do anything, but I understand they're likely only a week or more off of being in a position of hopefully exchanging.

"Of course, [under offer] is not legally binding at this stage, but there is a strong interest there and that's all going to plan so far."

For more information on this campaign and how to get involved with the cause, head online to The Long White Lunch website.

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