Dukaanka Guud ee Vasse oo xidhaya ka dib 102 sano oo shaqo ah

Ganacsatada waaweyn ee Coles iyo Vasse Farmers' Market ayaa saameyn ku yeeshay dukaanka qarniga jiray

Dukaanka Guud ee Vasse, oo ku yaal Koonfur-Galbeedka WA, ayaa xidhaya albaabadiisa ka dib 102 sano oo shaqo. Waxaa la aasaasay qoyska McGuiness sanadkii 1924, wuxuuna ka mamulay 232 kiilomitir koonfurta Perth. Milkiilayaashu waxay culeys saarayaan imaatinka Coles.

Taariikhda iyo Milkiilayaasha Dukaanka

Dukaanka Guud ee Vasse wuxuu ka shaqeeyay Koonfur-Galbeedka WA in ka badan qarni, wuxuuna ku jiray gacmo yar oo milkiilayaal ah muddo qarnigii oo dhan. Qoyska McGuiness ayaa aasaasay 1924, boqolkiina wuxuu ku yaallaa 232 kiilomitir koonfurta Perth.

Robert Harders wuxuu dukaanka ka iibsaday 1983, wuxuuna la shaqeeyay xaaskiisa Glenis 17 sano. Sanadkii 2000, Harders wuxuu ka iibiyay Gloria iyo Neil MacDonald, kuwaas oo maamulay 26 sano ka hor intaysan xidhin.

Saameynta Ganacsiga Weyn iyo Xidhitaanka

Xidhitaanka wuxuu yimid wax ka yar laba sano ka dib markii la dhammeeyay horumarin ganacsi oo u dhow, taasoo keentay Coles, McDonald's, Vasse Village iyo Shell agagaarka dukaanka. Milkiilayaashu waxay culeys saarayaan imaatinka Coles iyo Vasse Farmers' Market, oo ay badhkooda leedahay Hancock Prospecting ee Gina Rinehart.

Mrs MacDonald waxay tiri: "People want to do a one-stop shop; they don't want to be traipsing around the town." Waxay sidoo kale sheegtay in dukaankoodu leeyahay waxyaabo aan supermarket-yada waaweyni ku tartami karin.

Dukaanka Bulshada iyo Xusuusta Qoyska

Mrs MacDonald waxay sheegtay in qayb muhiim ah oo shaqadeedu ahayd inay dhegaysato macaamiisha: "Things might be rough in their world and they just need a shoulder to cry on and someone that's not going to be judgemental". Mr Harders wuxuu xusuustay dadkii uu la xiriirtay: "It's the loyalty of the people that we dealt with, they weren't [just] customers, they've become family".

Neisha Feutrill, gabadhii ugu yarayd ee Harders, waxay xusuusaysaa hooyadeed Glenis oo majaajillo ku samaysay dukaanka: "There's memories of her putting some pretty risque centrefolds in the milk delivery man's books".

After more than a century of serving the South West of Western Australia, the historic Vasse General Store is shutting its doors following 102 years of operation, with owners citing the arrival of major supermarkets as the primary cause of the closure.

A Legacy of Community Service

Founded by the McGuiness family in 1924, the store has been a cornerstone of the town 232 kilometres south of Perth for over a century. Gloria and Neil MacDonald took over the business in 2000 from Robert Harders, who had purchased it in 1983 and operated it with his wife Glenis for 17 years.

The MacDonalds ran the store for 26 years before deciding to close it, with Mrs MacDonald reflecting that she had done her best and described the experience as a great journey. She noted that the store offered homemade cooking and personal service that supermarkets could not replicate.

The Impact of Big Retail

The closure comes less than two years after the completion of nearby commercial developments, including Coles, McDonald's, Vasse Village, and Shell, which have placed significant competition on the small business's doorstep. Mrs MacDonald stated that customers now prefer one-stop shopping and do not want to travel around town.

She acknowledged that the store still had unique offerings, such as homemade cakes, but conceded that the convenience of major supermarkets was a factor in the decision to close. The store had previously served as a fuel station, post office, and community hub for residents.

Personal Reflections and Memories

Mr Harders recalled that the people he connected with were the most memorable aspect of his time at the store, noting that they were not just customers but had become family. He remembered the old wooden floors and the account system used before debit or credit cards were available.

His youngest daughter, Neisha Feutrill, shared fond memories of her mother playing practical jokes in the shop, including placing risqué centrefolds in the milk delivery man's books. She described her mother as having a wicked sense of humour that brought joy to the community.