Retail business - Quorn - in the Flinders Ranges - South Australia.
Business Overview.
Business Location:
The business and freehold property is located in a central position within the commercial centre of Quorn, South Australia. The Flinders Ranges Tourist Information Centre and The Flinders Ranges Council office are situated on the side street and adjoin the back of the shop property.
Being situated on a corner it has the modern IGA Supermarket across the road on the side of the building, the Chemist is next on the corner, with outback clothing on the opposite corner and the Electrical store and Laundromat directly in front.
There is also a newsagent, post office, hairdresser, butcher, café, coffee shop, garage, petrol station, two bank agencies and art galleries all nearby. The town of Quorn has four hotels, a small motel and a caravan Park.
The Business Details:
Retailing a large range of variety, everyday hardware, camping gear, stationary, toys, gifts, linen, computer accessories, ink cartridges, DVD’s, video’s, music CD’s, camera film and batteries, post cards, cards, gift wrap, garden plants, seedlings, garden pots, fertiliser, value pack confectionery and drinks.
We also have an internet café with two computers available with connection for laptops via a LAN connection. Our connection to the internet is via satellite. We also sell some Thai takeaway food.
We sell and repair computers and printers when needed. Set up to scan and print for those who require photo enlargements and repairs to their old photographs. Can also print and laminate posters, menus and placemats for hotels etc. We also do photocopying, printing of black & white or colour brochures and burn photos from camera cards to CD.
How the business started:
As a hobby I used to repair and sell some computers from home. I felt that there was a need for computer accessories and stationary in Quorn so when a building became available in 2000 due to the owners retiring from their second-hand business I bought it to use as a computer and stationary business.
My wife then decided she would like to sell some variety products when she realised that the building was really too big for just a computer and stationary store.
To do this I decided to spend up, restore the skylight and ceiling, replace the flooring, repair and paint the building, rewire the electrical services and install air conditioning. After doing this she then decided that she would like to sell some Thai takeaway food as cooking was one of her favourite things so more work setting up a kitchen.
Development of the business:
Opening in February 2001, initially we concentrated on variety, toys, stationery and computer accessories. Soon it was discovered that there was demand for more, particularly in the hardware and garden areas.
In October 2001 we started to supply garden plants and seedlings. As time went on we found that we did not have enough room to display all the hardware that was being asked for so decided to build more storage and display area on the back and use some of the space to display the hardware.
This section was opened up in April 2003 and we have progressively filled this area with hardware and garden related items.
Comparison to other available business:
Most of the products we sell are not readily available in Quorn and people used to have to go to Port Augusta to purchase these items before we opened.
The Farm orientated Rural Traders sell some hardware and plants but as this is situated on the outer of town it is not as convenient for many shoppers. The newsagent and post office sells some stationary and gifts but they are limited in range, mostly in the higher price bracket and not open on weekends or public holidays. IGA sells some plants but no seedlings and a very limited range of variety.
We do have access to some very good discount variety warehouses and carry a good range of hand picked plants and seedlings.
Potential of the Market:
I believe that the business can only build up more as new houses are being built each year. The potential for tourism has not been fully taken advantage of in Quorn as the accommodation was limited. Now that the STEDS scheme has been installed more accommodation is being put in by the hotels, this means there will be a much bigger tourist market and this can only help our business.
Most likely some one who came into this business with the idea of running it not as a hobby like we have would also increase the turn over considerably.
Suggestions for potential of business:
Treat it more as a business and less as a hobby.
Perhaps sales could be increased with the use of credit card facilities for purchasers. We have run it as a cash only business but do often get travellers wanting to purchase by credit card or EFTPOS.
With only the Supermarket left selling fruit & vegetables and bread & cake there could easily be a good market for a fruit and vegetable market or bakery with cake and hot bread shop. I believe there is also room for an aggressive butcher. Possibly most of the above could be combined if wished as there is plenty of room in the building.
Liquor store: There currently is no liquor store in Quorn, could be another great opening as less people are drinking at the pub and lots more are drinking at home now the breathalizer frequents the town.
Could be used for computer and electrical or even a furniture store.
In June 2003 the shop in Quorn which catered for souvenirs was closed due to the owner going into a bed and breakfast business interstate. This may provide an extra opening for an aggressive marketer.
I believe there would be a market in Quorn for cheap teenage, children and baby clothes along with shoes. Also cheap fashion accessories if a retailer were interested in that kind of thing. Currently the only shop with clothing supplies higher quality clothes and very little everyday wear for babies, children and teenagers.
Could easily be used for hot food, meals and coffee shop. The choice in Quorn is presently rather limited.
I am sure that a little creative thinking and knowledge of the area and its current growth will produce many more alternatives which could easily suit the style of a purchaser.
If takeaway food is continued then I feel there is a potential market available as we are getting a lot of enquiries for other than Thai food but keep sending the customers to other places in town as we do not want to get involved any further in this market. My wife is Thai and this is why she wants to sell only Thai food. The facilities we have could easily provide a much greater range of food for those interested in doing it. Opening until late in the evening would increase the turnover of this food considerably.
Reason for selling:
When starting this business I did not count on it getting as big, I only wanted a hobby. I am 67 years old now and do not want to push for more business but rather start to take life more easily. I have two young children and want to spend more time with them and their horses and do not wish to start employing staff as it was supposed to be a hobby.
Owner will help:
I can help the new owner get started for a period of up to two weeks.
Some living space included:
The building has a large room out back which has in the past been used as a bedroom. We now use it for our two young children as a play room, and there is a reasonably modern bathroom and two toilets. Also a small room off the storage area is currently used as a laundry. The area I currently use for repairing computers could possibly be used as a TV room lounge room and with the kitchen which is used for cooking takeaway food and a large covered area out back it would be possible to live on the premises if needed. It would also be possible to relocate the internet cafe computers and use this room as a second bedroom.
The Building:
The original shop was built in approximately 1911 from local sandstone and with a wooden floor. The wooden floor was re-levelled and replaced in 2000 with a structa board floor and covered with vinyl. The ceiling is of pressed metal in good condition and there is a central square skylight which was fully repaired and fitted with tinted glass and electric roller shutters in 2000. All electrical wiring was replaced during renovations in 2000.
The bathroom, bedroom, toilets, hall and veranda were built of concrete block and fibro sheeting in approximately 1988. Also a steel framed storage shed was built in approximately 1988 and in 2003 we extended this with the addition of a steel framed enclosed carport. The roof is of galvanised iron and in good condition and painted in 2001. The whole of the outside of the building and inside of the shop areas were all freshly painted in 2001.
There is also a 30 square meter steel framed shade cloth area built in 2001 for the reserve garden plant storage. The total building area is approximately 450 square meters.
Hours of Trading:
Open from 9.00am to 6.00pm on Wednesday to Saturday, 10.00am to 6.00pm on Sunday and 9.00am to 6.00pm on Monday. We do not open on Tuesday. No doubt the turnover could be improved by opening on Tuesday if the purchaser wished to do so. I like to have one day off and do go to Adelaide about every three weeks on a Tuesday to select stock.
Relevant location comments:
Quorn is 335 Km North of Adelaide the Capital of South Australia and 40 Km North East of Port Augusta the nearest city. Quorn’s population is approximately 1,350 and growing fast. Port Augusta is approximately 14,500 although growing fast and is expected to be over 20,000 by 2010. Quorn will no doubt grow along with it as Port augusta is already short on development potential.
The Quorn Area School caters for up to year twelve and we also have a kindergarten that caters for pre-entry level. We have a hospital which has just been upgraded with over a million dollars spent, a modern 19 bed home for the aged and a resident doctor.
Swimming pool, tennis courts, bowling green, golf course, stockyard arena, football and cricket ovals are all catered for.
Of recent years Quorn has benefited from the boom in mining at Roxby Downs, and gas and oil exploration at Moomba. Many families are settling here for schooling purposes while the bread winner works in these outer areas where it is often not possible for the family to live.
Quorn has been growing with new homes going up each year, no doubt helped by the plentiful supply of blocks of land for house building. This also means that many people who work in Port Augusta also have come to live in Quorn and travel the 40km to work each day.
Water is a problem in many parts of South Australia for areas connected to the Murray pipeline. Fortunately Quorn has its own supply of underground water and a new bore was successfully brought on line last year and we now enjoy better quality water as a result.
Currently the council has had the STEDS scheme for sewerage connected in the main part of the town and this will enable the accommodation industry to enlarge as sewerage has been a problem in the past. Already one of the hotels has been upgraded to be able to accommodate 40 beds for a full bus load of passengers.
Tourism potential of Quorn:
Quorn is situated in the popular Flinders Ranges tourist area and has a number of listed heritage buildings including some of the four Hotels, Bruce's Hall, Town Hall, Court House, Railway Station and old Bank buildings.
The world famous Pichi Richi Steam Train Railway is based in Quorn. The line has recently been extended into Port Augusta and has now started to run trips up to Quorn and back to Port Augusta so as to tap into the volume traffic flowing on the main Perth and Darwin highways.
Quorn has four well known Art Galleries selling Flinders Ranges Artists paintings and all within a few minutes walk from Buckaringa Better Buy Market.
Bush walking trails to Mount Brown, Devils Peak and the Dutchman National Park have been developed in the last few years and more grants are being sought by the local council to extend these and other potential trails further.
Outback bush camping sites at Warren Gorge are being developed. The Mawson push bike trail and the Heyson walking trail extend from South to North through the Ranges within the council boundaries and come very close to the township of Quorn. This has made it a very important stop off place for those wishing to renew supplies.
Outback mining needs catered for:
Quorn is fast becoming the home of many young families associated with the outback mining boom in South Australia. Many young couples are building new homes in Quorn so they can reside near schooling and the sporting amenities while the breadwinner works 10 days on 5 days off earning big money at places like Roxby Downs (copper, gold, uranium), Moomba (oil and gas) and many more new mines just now opening up all over the northern area of South Australia.
Enquiries: Contact the owner as below.
- Wayne Schuttloffel
- Buckaringa Better Buy Market
- Phone: 08 8648 6381
- International Phone: 61 8 8648 6381
- E-Mail:
- Address: P.O. Box 1, 40 First Street, Quorn, SA, 5433
For more Info visit:
Buckaringa Better Buy Market
Or travel.flindersranges-secrets.com
Or www.flindersranges.com
Or www.flindersrangescouncil.sa.gov.au
Web-Page prepared by Wayne Schuttloffel
For Buckaringa Holdings Pty Ltd.