THE scales were used to weigh nails, chicken feed, sausages and saveloys.
That was the life of new retailers Peter and Sue Moore when they arrived in Inglewood 40 years ago to take over the town’s 4 Square grocery store and hardware suppliers.
Inglewood had won out as the couple’s first business venture after surveying opportunities in Queensland.
“We looked at Queensland and the best we could find was the leasehold on a rundown business, in Victoria we were able to buy the freehold,” Peter said last week ahead of retirement for he and Sue from next month.
“When we came here, Sue did the register up front and I looked after the stock. And we had Charlie Seaman helping on a Saturday morning.”
They quickly made Inglewood home after the shift from Forbes in central New South Wales where Sue had been a bank loans officers and Peter ran the local council’s store and depot.
The former Nixon Bros store was soon packed with stock and outgrowing the heritage Brooke Street building.
Peter said the hardware section was moved across the street and when the town’s newsagents suddenly closed in 2005, he and Sue took on selling newspapers and Tattslotto tickets.
Three years later a partnership with Champions IGA, the supermarket moved to new premises after opening celebrations that saw local MP Peter Walsh unveil the plaque.
“I hate to think now how many drafts we had of plans for the new building ... and we included the disused council depot that’s now the supermarket carpark,” he said.
“We even got robbed in the first week of trading from the new building. The culprit was easily found - followed the tracks left by a wheelie bin used to cart off the loot.”
Peter said the 2008 building of new premises would not have happened without Champions IGA, who take over as owners of Peter and Sue’s business from July 1. “It was so big when we opened, we wondered what we had done,” said Peter. “Now, the aisles and shelves are full, we have 46 employees and keep getting busier all the time.”
The supermarket and hardware departments have picked up their share of awards over the last 40 years.
And Peter and Sue have supported local organisations with sponsorships and donations through the IGA Community Chest - schools, the RSL, sporting clubs, raffles and events.
Peter has also been active in town affairs. He looks back on the campaign for water and sewerage connection. “The town’s population was shrinking the first five to eight years we were here but we needed sewerage, even if people could not afford it. The smell was horrible. Having sewerage connected has cleaned up the town and water quality has improved as well.”
The town’s development and tourism committee - Peter is currently in his second stint as president - has been a key vehicle for Peter’s contribution to Inglewood’s prosperity.
The push for a Brooke Street pedestrian crossing was an early success. “The school had asked us to support having a lollypop lady. We were being handballed between council and VicRoads and we ended having a committee meeting in the middle of the street ... the police kept an eye on traffic,” he said.
“VicRoads promised a study, we had another meeting, a bigger meeting, and by Christmas Eve came the announcement that pedestrian crossing lights would be installed.”
Peter also was at the fore of last year’s community campaign that achieved the introduction of a 40kmh zone in Brooke Street.
With Max Higgs, Peter was at meetings in the former Royal Hotel when the State Savings Bank and Westpac in quick succession quit Inglewood.
“I was having to drive to Bendigo twice a week with the supermarket takings,” Peter said.
“That was two hours out of the day and a security risk, other people were being more than inconvenienced.
“We tried other banks and ended getting IOOF into town. There was a community working bee to get the building ready.”
Peter said the work of Max and other locals in later securing the Bendigo Bank and transitioning to a community bank had made a big difference to the town.
For 40 years, Peter says there has been loyalty from the community and wider districts for their local supermarket.
“During COVID, people became even more loyal and I think that helped the town grow appreciation for what it has,” he said.
“When Sue and I came here we were very careful with our outlays. The goldmine was a good customer until owners went under financially and then when the flour mill had difficulty, well that made us very cautious about giving credit.”
After working seven days a week building a major local business and customer loyalty through always stocking the supermarket lines available in bigger communities, talk in recent years turned to retirement.
“One day, Sue asked when we were going to retire. I’m 70 later this year and it’s probably time to step back from early starts and long days,” Peter said.
“We’re staying in Inglewood - it’s where our children grew up and where we built our home.
“There’ll be a few trips around Australia and overseas and more time with the grandchildren.”
Peter says customers at Champions IGA and Mitre 10 will not notice the change of ownership.
“All the staff are staying, some are stepping up into management roles,” he said. “Inglewood is growing, the district has some exciting times ahead and Sue and I are leaving a great local team to continue serving customers and the community.”