Our Story - The Barossa Co-op

2020

January 1

2020s

The stores were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with the retail stores closing during lockdowns and otherwise operating with limited hours. Co-op Fresh Foodland remained open throughout, placing purchase limits on items such as hand sanitiser, disinfectant toilet paper, rice, meat and other…Read More

2010

January 1

The 2010’s

Both ladies and mens fashion were moved from the department store to the new Barossa Mall into their very own stores, named ‘Orchard Lane’ and ‘Rod & Spur’. Australia Post took up a tenancy in the Mall alongside Nuriootpa Newsagency and a new telecommunications store,…Read More

2000

January 1

The 2000’s

The new shopping centre continued to expand and tenancies began to fill. A café opened in the mall across from Foodland Barossa Fresh – ‘Bean Se-juiced’, as well as a Wendy’s ice cream franchise, music and CD store, and Australian Central Credit Union bank branch.…Read More

1990

January 1

The 1990’s

The continued upgrading of the store’s facilities saw the introduction of central heating in 1990 and the final ‘crowning’ of the new extensions was the work on the…Read More

1980

January 1

The 1980s

The 1980s was spent expanding storage even further and modern cold rooms and freezers were installed. The Reusch shops in Gawler Street, formerly the public library and Department of Social Security offices, were also refurbished to make way for a stationery sales area and…Read More

1970

January 1

The 1970s

In 1970, manager Bert Schulz extended the hardware store, the storeroom was rebuilt and enlarged, and the old ex-war Sydney Williams hut was eventually sold. A coffee lounge was…Read More

1960

January 1

The 1960s

The most controversial change was the introduction of self-service shopping and the start of the Foodland franchise in 1965. A new facade, painted in bright yellow with…Read More

1950

January 1

The 1950s

During the 1950s, a refurbished grocery and hardware department was also added along with the store’s first coolroom. The cheese store, which started in 1950, was one of Roy Hodgson’s obsessions, and it rapidly developed a reputation as the best vintage cheese store outside of…Read More

1944

October 18

The 1940s

The post-war 1940’s was an exciting time of growth in the Barossa, but also an era where shopping services were frugal. The shop had changed very little from the early days of the century. There were no fridges in the Co-op store, and butter was…Read More

October 16

The Community Co-operative Store Opens

On October 16th 1944, the new Community Co-operative Store opened its doors to the Barossa Valley. The Co-operative Store rationalised shopping in the Barossa: Sheard’s Angaston store was closed and its manager, Harry Craker, became the Co-op’s first manager and secretary. Hastings (formerly Trigg’s store)…Read More