Coledale’s landscape has changed slightly with the newsagency on Lawrence Hargrave Drive getting its first face-lift in 17 years.
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Owners of the building, Glen and Renata Benstead, decided to retire and sell their business to three women with a passion for sustainability and supporting local.
The renamed Earth Walker & Co General Store opened last week while the attached “farm-to-table” cafe is scheduled to open by Christmas.
Our whole philosophy is handmade and natural products and recycled, because we love our planet.
- Maxine Walker
Bianca Poscoliero, her mother-in-law Maxine Walker and family friend Ciara Kulmar (who collectively own the homewares franchise Fifty 5 Parrots) jumped at the chance to give the square yellow building a new lease on life.
“The vision for this is to bring back that old fashioned general store feeling,” Ms Walker said.
“And we didn’t taken any [stock] away we only added,” added Ms Poscoliero.
This includes keeping friendly face Daniela Beleski near the register.
The store’s palette is now a sleek charcoal and white, though an abundance of colour is strewn throughout the shelves with native flowers, recycled labels and earthy tones like fresh loaves from Corrimal bakery 74 Albert Street.
Other local producers include Coalcoast breads from Port Kembla, “the famous cake ladies from Coledale markets”, Drum Roll coffee from Bulli, The Pines dairy products and ice-cream from the Kiama micro-dairy and jams from several local kitchens.
The Illawarra’s Best Jam (TIBJ), a name trademarked by two Austinmer sisters aged 10 and 12, was taken on board by the owners because they liked the girls’ professionalism, maturity and their business model.
“They are creating home made jams to fund their trip to Harry Potter world,” Ms Walker said.
“As they walked away we all felt what a bright future these girls have and how lucky we are in the Illawarra to have such talented young people.”
Ms Poscoliero said it was amazing how much their network of artisans was growing, “everyday people” who were unsuspectingly creating beautiful products.
“It blows me away, but they’re at home and they’re making their peanut butters and jams,” she said.
“Like Pope’s Produce … she’s a mum from Woonona who’s got this massive yard [with market gardens] in the middle of suburbia,” Ms Walker added. “I couldn’t believe it when I went there.”
Meantime the Country Valley milk to be used in their cafe is not only local but better for the planet as they’ll come in special “bladder” bags which are an 80 per cent reduction in plastic.