The Junee District Co-operative Society Limited will celebrate 100 years on Tuesday with a litany of different activities for the community, like tastings and a reunion on Saturday to kick it all off.
Over the period of 100 years the Co-op has been around four different locations in Junee. This will celebrate the resilience of the community for lasting this long through plenty of difficult times and the support they’ve both offered and received from the Junee community.
Shane Willis of Junee IGA said he was really looking forward to celebrating the milestone.
“On Saturday the 27th September we are having the reunion. We’ve got about 180 ex-employees coming on the day,” he said. “On the Tuesday, which is our actual 100th birthday, we are having a barbeque, some food tastings, and giveaways. We’ve had a two-week catalogue for the store itself, over and above specials.
“We are all excited. We haven’t seen some people for quite some time, so it will be nice to be able to catch up and reminisce. 100 years, that’s an incredible milestone.
“It’s not just the staff, it’s the town as well. We’ve got to acknowledge that the town has supported us for this long. That’s part and parcel. Both have made a major effect on each other.
“Without having the staff over the 100 years, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
“Over the 100 years, the actual business itself has traded under seven different banners, but has always been trading as Junee District Co-op Society.
“I suppose the biggest things, when they first started, they used to provide groceries, kitchenware, and hardware and actually had a petrol browser, which was dispensed back in 1970s.
“I suppose the biggest revolution for us was moving to where we are today, 102 Broadway.
“Come in and say hello and have a chat and just see what we’ve got to offer. We want to thank everyone for their continued support over the last 100 years with many more years to come.”
A Brief History of the Shop
Thanks to Nikola Balnave, Greg Patmore and Shane Willis for information, the Junee Independent has been able to provide a brief history of the Co-op over 100 years.
The Co-operative spirit of the people of Junee is notable as early as 1907 when the Junee Co-operative Society was established. This society was seemingly successful and remained in operation until the 14 July1910 when it fell victim to a fire. This was the fate of many stores in Junee during these early years, the lack of water available to the Fire Brigade being a major issue in the town.
Following the First World War, a branch of the Railway and Tramways (RT) Co-operative Society was established in Broadway, Junee. While these branches were familiar to many country towns, Junee was one of the more successful.
In December 1921 the RT Society had 53 branches. However, by March 1923, this had dropped to 15 with Junee being one of only three to show profits. With much foresight, the people of Junee chose to purchase the local branch in June 1923, four months before the RT Co-operative Society went into liquidation. The Junee and District Co-operative Society Ltd had 40 members by 30 June 1925.
For the 1924-1925 financial year it made a surplus of £647 on sales of £12,364. It paid out £14 in interest on capital and £100 in dividends on purchases to members. Early activists in the Co-op included Thomas Grimmond, Robert Joyce, Robert Penfold and Alfred Millson. They were primarily railway employees. Joyce and Grimmond remained active in the Co-op until their respective deaths in November 1955 and January 1956. A 1960s shareholder book indicates that farmers from Junee and surrounding districts also made up a significant proportion of Co-op members. Other occupations noted include school teachers, police officers and house duties.
Frederick Schremmer was the first manager of the Co-op. He was born in June 1889 to German-born parents. His family ran a dairy farm on the outskirts of Wagga Wagga. He worked at the Coolamon Co-operative Society and J.S. Taylor’s in Junee prior to working at the Junee Co-operative. Fred Schremmer guided the Co-op to financial stability through at least two financial crises. He retired as manager in 1956, but was retained as an advisor by the board of directors until his death in May 1957.
Subsequent managers with long periods of office were Brian Rosengreen (1960 -1979), Rod Kilby (1980-1985) and lan Cooper (since 1985). The Co-Op’s first premises were the former RT Co-op society’s stores in Broadway. Over the next few years, the Co-op moved to Main Street and then leased the Lorne Street premises in1931.
The Co-op introduced the electronic ordering of groceries in 1975. Two electronic cash registers were purchased at the time to facilitate the recording of members’ purchases by computer. The Co-op also moved to accept credit cards when the directors decided in June 1976 to participate in “Bankcard”.
In February 1979 the Co-op decided to computerise fully all shareholders’ capital and deposit accounts. Scanning registers were installed in 1991 and commenced operating in November of that year. In each case, the decision to outlay large amounts of expenditure was a frightening one for the Board. Nevertheless, their recognition of the need to modernise retailing methods is a central reason for the longevity of the Co-op society. Over the years, the Board has exercised good business sense in deciding the range of products provided by the Co-op.
From the early years, the society supplied groceries, kitchenware and hardware to its members at competitive prices. It also operated a petrol bowser at the front of the store. This was dispensed with in the mid-1970s, and the hardware section was wound up in 1981. In 1972, a liquor licence was purchased from J. Maegher and Co, and the delicatessen department opened in 1973.
While these business choices have assisted the society to move forward, the decision to open the Junee Food Barn in Lisgar Street proved less wise. Opened in October 1978, the Food Barn failed to attract patronage, and the business it did receive was in direct competition with the main Co-op store. The Food Barn ceased trading on 27 June 1980 and the Co-op sold the premises in November 1980.
At other times, the Board has based its decisions on meeting the consumer needs of the town. There was also a concern that if a full range of products were not available in Junee, then business would be lost to nearby Wagga Wagga. For example, in June 1982 the directors decided to stock manchester, following the closure of Trims Pty Ltd in Junee. Other local businesses were consulted to see if they were interested in stocking manchester before the decision was made.
Similarly, rather than see it close down, the Co-op purchased the Retravision (then Sykes Electronics) store on the adjoining Lorne Street premises in May 1995 and operated it for nine years. Shareholders were able to use their number in Retravision during this period. The Retravision store was sold to a former employee of the Co-op in September 2004. The Co-op also established a branch of Westpac in June 2000 as the local branch of the bank was closing.
In addition, the Co-Op supplied the Junee Correctional Facility with toilet paper, tobacco and canteen stock. While initially a successful venture, the relationship with the Correctional Facility proved unprofitable and was terminated in 2004.
The Co-op has also endeavoured to maintain a good relationship with local businesses and the community over the years. It was an active member of the local Chambers of Commerce. It has participated in efforts to assist in maintaining the viability of Junee as a retail centre through emphasising the need to ‘buy locally’.
In July 1983 the Co-op added the slogan “Shop Locally – If You Don’t Use It, You Lose It” to its weekly advertising. It has made donations to a variety of community organisations, including agricultural societies, sporting clubs, schools and the Junee Hospital Auxiliary.
During the Second World War, the Co-op sponsored community dances and Victory War Loan drives. The Co-op has adopted a range of policies to maintain and increase staff morale. Ian Cooper began at the Co-op as a delivery employee in 1974, and rose to his eventual position through a series of promotions.
The free home delivery service has been a blessing for many in the community over the years, particularly those who are less mobile. Members have been able to call in their order from home and have it delivered the same afternoon. Those without access to a phone, particularly the elderly before the 1980s, would receive a personal visit from an employee so as to collect the order, and return with the goods later that day. Co-op has always endeavoured to provide a range of quality products and service at competitive prices. That this aim has been achieved is in no small way attributable to the dedication of the directors, many of which have served on the Board for long periods in the Co-op’s history.
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