General News
11 November, 2025
Experience great vibe in store full of history
THE OLD-STYLE country store is back at Newbridge under new owners Tushar and Priyanka Joshi.
Shelves are packed with provisions for locals and campers on the Loddon River and at nearby Laanecoorie as they were when the historic general store first opened in 1855.
Tushar says: “We are very much the old style general store ... people don’t have to travel far for bread, milk, newspapers and everyday household essentials.
“This is the vibe we want for a store that brims with history and is a real hub for the district community,” he said.
From 12 years in the banking sector and stints working as a chef and owning a cafe in Melbourne’s famous Chapel Street, Tushar (already affectionately dubbed TJ by the locals) has also added his own touch to the store’s popular takeaway and dine-in menu.
“We’ve sourced the most juicy and delicious Angus beef for our new line of hamburgers,” TJ said. “People are coming back week after week just for the mouth-watering Angus beef burgers ... and the friendly service our great staff who are all locals in the district.”
TJ said he had been on the lookout for a country store after talking with a friend who owns a similar business near Shepparton. “We were chatting away and that’s when the Newbridge General Store popped up as being for sale,” TJ said.
“We made the trip from Melbourne, fell in love with its history and character and decided that was the ideal lifestyle change.
“The people here have been so welcoming, friendly ... and relaxed. Guess that’s because they are not stuck in Melbourne traffic for hours every day.
“And locals are always happy to help. One neighbour even volunteered to mow the grass so the store surrounds were looking their best for the Melbourne Cup long weekend.
“The best thing is that people are coming in and saying how much they enjoy shopping here.”
And TJ says a bonus of shopping at the Newbridge General Store is that it also serves as the town’s post office.
“People are popping in an out all the time and that means the Newbridge General Store is a real hub for community connection,” he said. TJ says he hopes to expand the store’s takeaway and dine-in menu in coming months and keep up “service with a smile whenever people shop at this store full of history.
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