Memories of Rogers Supermarket
History Notes
Last week as I remarked on the successful market day, I failed to mention the winner of the Rooster competition. He is now settling into his home in Tamworth and I am told that Lisa was very happy with her win.
I suspect that I am not the only one with memories of the O.L.Rodger and Son, grocery shop and I must compliment Geoff Hagan on writing the story. I am sure there would be a few other residents with memories of this great shop.
As a child, I climbed the steps up to the original shop, just next door to today's bakery. Inside I remember a long counter with a couple of chairs along one side for the customers to be seated while Oscar and his staff collected the required items.
I remember my mother with her list of requirements - flour, sugar etc which had to be weighed out and put into paper bags. There was no need for vegetables, milk, or meat as most properties supplied their own. However, we did get the occasional "lolly".
As the years passed along and after the passing of Oscar Rodgers the family moved the shop along the street to the old cafe. This shop was easier to access and of course, being a supermarket, one could choose just what they wanted.
The old cafe was just waiting for someone to take it over so the Rodger family had to dismantle it- all the table and chairs were removed and the 3 aisle supermarket was installed. The old counter at the front became the deli and the fruit and vegetables were also displayed at the front.
O.L.Rodger & Son was a very busy business, supporting most of the town although Mackenzies, further down the street, also had a grocery department and later a supermarket. These days of course we only have the one supermarket but we do have a good fruit shop as well for those who are not able to grow their own.
Carol and her Barraba District Schools history project has run into a problem. Can anyone supply the date of closure for the Upper Horton Public School. We have searched most papers and books without success - perhaps there is someone who was a pupil at the school when it closed and the remaining children had to catch the bus into Barraba.