Welcome to our story series about the only shop in the village. IndyNR.com chose this topic because when there is only one shop where you live, that shop is important to the community. This story series is supported by a grant from LINA – Local and Independent News Association.
Susanna Freymark
The village of Whiporie is in the middle of nowhere – it sits on Summerland Way between Grafton and Casino with about 50km to either town.
For the 115 residents who live in Whiporie, the general store is a lifeline. And for the people who live on rural properties nearby in Bungawalbin.
IndyNR.com met with the new store owners in 2021– before the floods.
Since then Sarah Williams and Jesse Brown have been improving the Whiporie General Store while keeping the reasons locals love it the same.
“It’s been a bit of a challenge with a small profit margin,” Jesse said.
“We have to make it affordable.”
There is nothing fancy about the Whiporie General Store. It is a simple building with petrol pumps out the front and a vast paddock behind it. The store serves hot food including homemade pies and the best hamburgers on Summerland Way and essentials such as milk, flour, and even special occasion chocolates. Alcohol is sold at the shop too.
Items are stocked on simple shelves and the place looks like it is from another era.
And that’s how Sarah and Jesse like it. They live out the back of the shop with their four children aged 3, 9, 10 and 14 and a big, goofy dog called Odin.
Their oldest child helps in the shop – it’s been a “treasure” to have him there, Jesse said.
After three years of running the shop, they have become a fixture in the community.
There is a post office in the shop as well.
There are 80 post boxes and the post office collects mail for 160 people in the district.
A new veranda for dining tables has been built to the side of the store as the one out the front only seats three people. There is a paddock next door with picnic tables and free camping.
Sarah said they love the lifestyle of being able to work and be with family.
“We have the family life even though it can be chaotic,” she said.
Jesse is the outgoing one, Sarah said.
“I’ll have a chat with everyone,” Jesse said.
You build a relationship with customers, he said.
Whiporie General Store was a lifeline during the 2022 flood disaster.
Jesse and Sarah said they managed to stay open even with water in the paddocks all around them.
Soon the couple hopes to take a bit of time off to go and get married in Vegas – yes, Vegas – it’s a helluva long way from Whiporie.
and then