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Hello, there.

Broken Hill Vintage Grocer has hit pause now that food channels seem secure again.

We opened BH Vintage Grocer in South Broken Hill Hotel’s disused pool hall (Hegarty’s Hall) in 2020 in response to the food shortages of Covid. It started so that elderly and vulnerable people could safely access affordable food and have social outings but it rapidly grew.

During lockdowns, backyard growers could earn income (all the proceeds went to them) and people who had lost their jobs could obtain free food – at the counter, customers could donate to the “Pay it forward” tin and pay for someone else’s food or for pets.

The chickens supplying the eggs had to be free-range and well looked after (they were actually in air conditioning during the Broken Hill heatwaves).

Due to the loss of jobs, animal welfare donations were down so we had a drop-off point for the local cat rescue and sold chocolates to fundraise for injured local wildlife through WIRES (all proceeds to them).

The generosity of people was extraordinary – from our loved ones, including making Slavic sweets, to the hotel owner, volunteers, Broken Hill Olive Oil, Clem’s Cordials, Pandora’s Palate, Broken Hill Quandongs, Sufi Bakery, Menindee’s commercial growers and international manufacturers, local and national media, pub patrons who popped in for their freshly-picked dinner vegetables, Santa, the Easter Bunny… and the neighbour who brought cups of coffee.

We grew to sell organic and vegan foods, Persian Fairy Floss, Redgum Salt and the most wonderful Slavic and Italian sweets, in a changing line-up of treats.

We had giveaways for children, customer testing days for new stock and, because gyms were closed, even serving customers on roller skates.

So now we are thinking about our next step, considering Broken Hill’s chocolate-melting heat for months of the year.

A huge hvala (thank you) from our family to everybody who helped spread a little light through that time.

Nardia and Nancy.