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The Store Oral History Project
The Store Oral History Project is a collection of stories gathered from members of the Newcastle community in 2019, sharing their thoughts and memories of the Store. We thank all of the interviewees and those who have contributed in other ways, such as sharing photographs and other sources and memorabilia.
The Newcastle and Suburban Co-operative Society Ltd, known locally as 'The Store', was established in Newcastle in 1898, and the main store building opened in Hunter Street Newcastle in 1906. In 1974, at its peak, The Store operated 15 other retail branches and had 98,000 members and employed 1,450 workers across its operations. It provided grocery, retail goods, services including a health fund, funeral fund, travel agency, credit union as well as a barber shop. The Store was the biggest and most successful co-operative society in Australia. Eventually, increased shopper mobility and competition from suburban shopping centres saw The Store close on 10 April 1981 after 83 years of service. The closure of The Store left a lasting impact upon the community and in the wake of renewal of the former Hunter Street site, this project aims to commemorate and celebrate The Store's legacy.
Also included are a series of audio cassettes of oral history interviews conducted in 1989 and commissioned by Newcastle Printmakers Workshop as part of a publication “The Store: a Co-operative Phenomenon” (1988). The original 10 cassette tapes are held atNewcastle Printmakers Workshop.
If you would like to contribute to the project please contact archives@newcastle.edu.au
The Store Oral History Project was funded by the DOMA, produced by the University of Newcastle's GLAMx Living Histories Digitisation livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au and the Vera Deacon Regional History Fund uoncc.wordpress.com/vera-deacon-fund, and managed by Artefact Heritage artefact.net.au.
