Simple idea saves shop
TWO months ago Dennis Smith was faced with the harsh reality that his family business – Gundy Quality Fruit and Veg – was going broke.
The rolling Covid lockdowns and border restrictions cut his business off from 70 per cent of it customers.
“I didn’t know if we were going to hang on,” he said.
The Goondiwindi businessman has two wholesale runs delivering fruit and veggies to pubs and clubs in Moree and Narrabri.
While he could cross the border as an essential worker it would not have mattered.
“The pubs and clubs are not open,” Mr Smith said.
At the same time retail customers who cross the border to shop are only allowed into Queensland for about an hour.
Mr Smith said this time pressure meant most went to the big supermarkets to buy everything at once, shunning small businesses like his.
“Covid has been a massive hit to us,” he said.
“The first year was not too bad because the government was giving out that extra money, but this time around it was different.”
The hours would drag by as Mr Smith sat his store, devoid of customers.
It was a shame because until Covid hit the fruit shop it was a good little business that supported his wife and three kids.
“I was lying in bed thinking about what I could do to stay afloat,” Mr Smith said.
He remembered a ‘Banana Club’ that a mate ran in Townsville where he sold cutprice bananas to lure people in his store.
Mr Smith borrowed the idea and eight weeks ago he launched the Farmers Club.
It costs $5 to sign up for 12 months and it entitles members to cheap staples like potatoes, pumpkin and bananas.
“I sell 500g punnets of strawberries for $2 and they are the good ones,” Mr Smith said.
In that time hundreds of shoppers have signed up.
The store went from having 20 customers a day to more than 70.
He ha also taken to social media and posted humorous videos with his sons.
While he takes a hit on the sale price of some items Mr Smith said it was worth it.
“I do think the Farmers Club will keep us afloat,” he said.
“It started two months ago and we are still getting people signing up each day.”