WOOLWORTHS – or ‘Woolies’ as most of us describe it in the relaxed and affectionate way we Aussies have of abbreviating familiar names – is an Australian chain of supermarkets and grocery stores that’s been around since 1924.

Woolworths Coffs Harbour first opened its doors in May 1952, and 70 years later it’s still an intrinsic part of the local community, located on Park Avenue in the city’s heart.

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Of course, there have been some changes in 70 years; cash registers are long gone, as is weighing produce on a set of scales, and what shopper 70 years past could have imagined ordering their groceries online and having them delivered to their door?

But some things never change, and today’s 350-strong team of workers are as passionate as ever about serving the local community.

Customers can also pick up produce grown and produced in the Coffs region from the store, including Costa berries, Golden Dawn bananas and Norco milk and dairy products.

To commemorate the momentous 70-year milestone, the Coffs Harbour store team hosted a barbecue for the local community, where they could come together to celebrate Woolworths’ history in the Coffs community and learn about events throughout the years from the store’s oldest retired team member in the area, Barb Felton.

The Coffs Harbour team was also joined by Orara High School Clontarf Academy, who conducted a Welcome to Country and a Didgeridoo performance to mark the occasion.

Courtney Palmer, Woolworths Coffs Harbour’s Operations Manager, has longstanding ties with the community and was excited to celebrate the event with her family, friends and team.

“Our Coffs Harbour store has been a staple in the community for the last 70 years, giving thousands of people their first jobs,” she said.

“Our team has served generations of families and supported numerous community initiatives throughout the years.

“We’ve seen plenty of change in that time – when the store first opened, team members had to manually write out the price of products on the shelf, and since then technology has revolutionised the way customers shop.

“Now customers can get their groceries picked, packed and placed straight into the boot of their car without even leaving their vehicle thanks to our Direct to Boot online service.

“We look forward to continuing to serve this great community for many years to come and we thank every past and present member of the Woolworths team who has helped us deliver great fresh food to Coffs Harbour over the past seven decades.”

By Susan KONTIC