Janyima Store (Bulla Store), located south-west of Darwin, is reopening under new management with the assistance of Outback Stores.
The retail management group has invested significant resources to get the store ready for trading, contributing $60k to procure stock and assisting the store with a further funding of over $200k to improve the store infrastructure.
Shadrack Retchford, local store director, said the community is grateful for Outback Stores’ assistance, as the store has not operated for several years.
“We’re looking forward to working with Outback Stores,” he said. “We are very excited, and the community can’t wait to have their store back up and running. It has been a long time since the store was closed.”
In recent years, the community has experienced flooding during the wet season. Without the store in operation, the community relied on food drops. The community hopes to have a long-term food security solution for its residents, with the assistance of Outback Stores.
“It makes it very easy for us to get our groceries,” Mr Retchford said. “Our residents won’t need to travel to Timber Creek to get food. Those that have no transport will now have access to essential items within the community.”
Established in 2006, Outback Stores continues to make a positive difference to the health, employment and economy of remote Indigenous communities.