After five years of waiting, Cobram has welcomed a brand-new Coles supermarket to the community.
Barely a cloud was in sight on the morning of Wednesday, December 4, as a crowd of eager shoppers waited outside the doors of the new shopping precinct.
Soon enough, the clock chimed 9am. With a caress of cool air, the doors to the Coles Cobram Precinct opened to customers for the very first time.
Speaking that morning, state member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy welcomed the project and said it was very exciting for the Cobram-Barooga community.
“As a local resident... it’s great to see genuine competition for food in Cobram to get our groceries locally,” Mr McCurdy said.
“For Coles to invest in small regional communities like Cobram is just terrific.”
He said it was one thing for large businesses to invest in major cities across Australia, but another thing for them to make sure that people in regional areas aren’t left behind.
“Businesses like Coles have jobs right across the sector,” Mr McCurdy said.
“From people who want to work part-time stacking shelves, to managers and senior managers and regional managers, there’s something for every skill set.”
The South Melbourne-based Troon Group, which owns the site, began construction on the precinct about twelve months ago.
Managing Director of Troon Group Tom McInerney said the precinct will create another option for shoppers’ grocery bills and convenience, while creating about 200 new jobs.
He said he thought it was absolutely critical for shoppers in regional Victoria to have a choice of where they shop.
“It’s all about choice,” Mr McInerney said.
“Great car parking is a big thing - getting able to get in and out under shade sales, in the heat of summer, makes it a good thing,“ he said, referring to the mostly shaded car park at the precinct.
Cobram residents Jeff Jackel and Jan Withers were a part of the crowd which waited outside the store for its doors to open.
“We’re very excited. It’s been great to see it come to fruition,” Mr Jackel said.
The new Coles Cobram Precinct will be home to several stores alongside Coles and Liquorland, including outlets for Chemist Warehouse, Sushi Sushi, Tea n Beauty, a Daily Baked, a Fixit Fones, and Meat on Melville.