For decades, Australia’s country towns have relied on independently owned general stores. But some are now at risk of disappearing because of increased competition and economic pressures.
The small South Australian timber town of Mount Burr is located in the heart of plantation forests. And if you want takeaway or food supplies, the only place available is the general store.
The American menu devised by owner George Copelin when he moved to Mount Burr from the United States is what customers come here for. Copelin and his wife Rosie enjoy their work but they say business is getting harder because of increased competition.
“Having those home delivery services that we can’t compete with hasn’t been very easy either,” says Rosie Copelin.
Roughly 50 minutes away by car from Mount Burr is Allendale and the Allendale East General Store that John Lindquist has run for decades. And like the Copelins, Lindquist says earning a living from a small business is getting harder in regional South Australia.
And Lindquist believes the only way to survive is to treat this type of work as an actual lifestyle.
“You’ve got to work out what you can do and you’ve got to work smart, not hard. If you end up working hard you’re going to wear yourself out too quick, and like I said, you treat this as a job it’s not going to work,” says Lindquist.
But most businesses are feeling the pain caused by a higher cost of living. And that financial strain and pain are felt by many.
“Businesses are experiencing cost pressures right across the state and that’s energy costs, it’s wage costs, it’s insurance costs, all their inputs have gone up as well because of inflationary pressures,” says Business SA CEO Andrew Kay.
And as far as the Copelins are concerned, the future is not looking great at the moment.
“With the introduction and the big influx of online shopping, home delivery services, the big supermarkets being able to undercut, I think it’s becoming more and more difficult,” says Rosie Copelin.
Will the general stores survive long term?
This article was provided by The Associated Press.