The impact of the recent Covid-19 snap lockdown on daily life on Bribie and neighbouring districts proved beyond doubt the value of small convenience stores and local shopping villages in offering the range of services and products essential to help us cope with these difficult times.
In Beachmere’s Shopping Village, for example, the newly-renovated and expanded IGA is able to satisfy just about all household essentials. The store’s greater stock range, embracing considerable support for local growers, provides fresh produce and pre-prepared meals as well as every other supermarket staple, while the adjacent Beachmere Bakery has been baking extra bread, cakes and pies to satisfy increasing stay-at-home demands, with the aroma of freshly-baked bread wafting from the ovens to the delight of passers-by and the loyal customers who enjoy a coffee seated at the tables outside.
Other family-owned services and traders, such as the Village’s doctors, dentist, variety store and take-away outlets, give residents the chance to not only shop local, but also help the economy by employing local residents. Speaking of the recent eight-day snap lockdown, bakery owner Sharon Toohery said, “I’m just extremely grateful to still be able to retain all my staff and keep everyone employed”.
And let’s not forget that in our wider local area, restaurants are doing their bit by offering take-away menus which are regularly changed and updated, lifting local spirits and reducing home mealtime boredom.
Never before have local businesses been so welcome, so helpful, so necessary and so important. There’s no better time than now to Shop Local, Stay Local.
