24/07/2024
END OF AN ERA
Oyster George has for the last time closed its doors.
It's been a weekly struggle for about 3 years now where we're had to steel from Peter to pay Paul not to mention over exorbitant electricity costs, general rising costs of goods and not being able to compete with the big 2 supermarkets.
Not only this but interest rates, inflation and expensive cost of living have made it all the more difficult.
We have been fortunate enough to have die hard loyalist that have shopped with us from day 1 back in 2015 and we can't say thank you enough to you all for sticking by us week in week out.
Unfortunately the last 3 years business has gone from bad to worse where average spend has dropped by up to 50% and monthly credit card charges are equivalent to a full days wages that we've had to absorb. At one point we even discussed that cash be preferred method of payment but were frowned upon. It's not unusual these days to be asked who pays the fees "us or you?" which basically shows us people are doing it tough.
What's even more disheartening is when we visit the supermarket to purchase household goods such as laundry detergent, personal hygiene products, toilet paper, and cleaning products and at a glance you see customers we barely see now looking in the frozen fish section as they can't afford our products any more. It's a sad state of affairs and | haven't stopped crying whilst writing this.
As I mentioned earlier this started to snowball about 3 years ago at Easter where all orders had been received and well over $80k of fresh fish purchases, new season prawn purchases, crayfish and lots of other goodies were made and could not be returned went into the freezer which ended up breaking down and all stock was lost. What we managed to salvage was sold at under cost. Unbeknown to me we weren't covered by insurance due to the fact we had no choice but to use the freezer standby of our truck which has a holding temperature of -20 degrees but decided to break down 2 days in. We didn't realise this had happened as we could still hear it operating but had lost it gas. Then came the summer holidays I never want to remember. During what could've been our busiest summer season. Dead Carp flowed through the Murray Mouth polluting our wonderful beaches. No surfing,no swimming for 3 or more months of what could've been our busiest holiday season there was an unbearable stench that could be smelt up to 3 and 4 streets back from the beach. Holiday maker's left their holiday homes, nosy day trippers came, saw, took photos & left. This meant another year of mounting costs, bills and creditors screaming for their money.
Christmas time we said goodbye to my beautiful father and grandfather to my children.
Another holiday season missed with a less than average Easter to follow. Trying to salvage and save what a beautiful and unique business we had, the past 12 months I have been travelling to Cooper Pedy once a month to make ends meet.
To the credit of the beautiful people I've met, made life long friends and who have supported us I am truly thankful. The unfortunate part accommodation, fuel, wear and tear on my vehicle and trailer, insurances and hoops you must jump through meant not much bottom line.
I feel we've tried everything even opening on Fridays. All this has done is spread trade over 3 days with an extra day of overheads and wages.
Finally, we'd just like to thank all of you who have supported us over the last 9 years. We love you and we'll miss you.
George & Mimi
