IT seems one Orange resident has taken a more literal meaning to the phrase ‘escaping the daily grind’, and instead found himself a grind he’s much more comfortable with.
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Richard Madigan moved to the Central West five years ago from Sydney, leaving his job as an accountant in the commercial district of North Sydney to take over ownership of Orange’s Gloria Jeans coffee shop on Summer Street.
“When we first came to Orange we thought ‘This is too good to be true’,” Mr Madigan said.
Moving to Orange with a wife and young family, Mr Madigan appreciates the community for its welcoming nature.
“One advantage to being at the coal face of retail is that I get to meet a whole range of people from Orange ... [and] one of the benefits of this community is the variety of people, all of whom are trusting and accepting of others,” he said.
Growing up in Wagga Wagga, Mr Madigan first moved to Sydney to attend high school before moving to Canberra to study commerce at the Australian National University, eventually leaving Australia all together for four years of overseas travel.
“I’ve travelled all over the world and Australia, but have always felt most at home in Orange,” he said.
Mr Madigan runs Gloria Jeans with wife Simone, who also runs children’s clothing store Mini Maison, and followed in the footsteps of both his brother and sister who moved to Orange several years ago.
“It’s great to know all of my nieces, nephews and children can grow up together,” he said.
As for the hustle and bustle of Sydney’s big city life, Mr Madigan says he does not miss the constant traffic and expensive cost of living, and feels Orange has just as much to offer.
“Here in Orange we have time to enjoy life,” he said.
“Orange has a great cultural scene ... there are great restaurants here and [within the hospitality trade] competition is very strong and of a high standard, so it helps us to maintain a great level of customer service.”
It’s a surprise that Mr Madigan has time to enjoy the benefits of Orange life, juggling a business with raising four children younger than eight, as well as recently completing a Masters of Business Administration via correspondence from Deacon University, Melbourne.
Although it seems Mr Madigan may just be biding his time before he has enough free time to fully enjoy the laid-back Orange lifestyle.
“Hopefully once my children get old enough they’ll start working here [at Gloria Jeans] as well.”
