News / Business
IGA ready to welcome back customers with open arms
Refit after fire took 14 months to complete
Mark Phillips
AFTER a low-key opening in March, the Sydney Road Supa IGA supermarket is now ready for its second coming just in time for Easter.
A devastating fire put the store out of action for six months until a small pop-up shop was able to begin trading in July last year stocking essentials only.
More months of repairs and refurbishments followed before the full store reopened with little fanfare in the last week of March.
The low-key opening was deliberate as stock levels were only at 50% at that time.
They have since risen to 80% and will soon be almost full following the installation of new bakery shelving in time for the Easter holidays.
Assistant manager Melissa Mento said customers had been extraordinarily patient during the extended closure.
“It was a big task,” she said.
“We never wanted to be closed for long at all. But, you know, things can take longer than expected sometimes, so we’re just happy that the doors are open.
“The community’s been positive the entire time and incredibly patient, and we’re very grateful for that.
“They’ve supported the pop-up, and now they’ve supported the large store, and we’re very thankful.”
The store was forced to close after a fire ripped through its upstairs office area in the early hours of January 23 last year.
No-one was in the building at the time, and the fire took crews three hours to control and forced the closure of Sydney Road during the morning peak hour.
The official cause of the fire was an electrical fault, and Fire Rescue Victoria has ruled out suspicious circumstances.
It soon became clear that while the fire had been contained to the first floor of the building, the damage from heat, smoke and the water used to extinguish it was extensive and any hopes of a quick reopening were not possible.
The pop-up store occupying about 15% of floor space opened in July to sell basic groceries and liquor.
At that time, it was expected that the full store would be open in time for Christmas but the total length of closure was 14 months.
Ultimately, the entire store, apart from the primary structural components of the building, had to be removed and replaced.
New services including electrical wiring, refrigeration and security have been installed, the roof and purlins for the entire building have been replaced, and internal wall and ceiling sheeting has also been replaced. All the works have brought the building up to the current building code.
The extended closure meant most staff were stood down, with a handful redeployed to other stores operated by the IGA’s owners, Uniworks Pty Ltd.
Menta, who has worked at the shop for 15 years, said the soft opening meant the business has had a slow start, but staff were looking forward to that picking up now that the store was almost back to normal.
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The reopening of the store has been celebrated on social media by customers who value the store as much for its role as a community meeting place as they do for its convenience and its quirky range of chilli sauces.
Long-time staff know many of the shoppers by name, and customers often linger for an extended chat.
“It’s been really heartwarming to see the Brunswick community back in the store and give us so much support,” Menta said.
“We’ve definitely been very grateful that we’ve had quite a lot of people come through the doors and say hello and support the store.
“[Customers say] they’re just really happy that we’re back, that they missed us, they missed the store, they missed the convenience, I think they missed the community vibe to it as well.”
The store will be open, as it usually has in past years, on Good Friday and Anzac Day when many other shops are closed.
“[Good Friday is] generally a busy day for us, so we’re going to be as well stocked as we can be, and looking forward to seeing everybody,” Menta said.
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