Broadway Builders Supplies joins Junee IGA under Co-op umbrella

A NEW chapter begins today for one of Junee’s longest-running businesses, with the Junee District Co-operative officially taking ownership of Broadway Builders Supplies.

The changeover, effective from 3pm on Thursday, April 23, will see the staple hardware store close its doors temporarily as the Co-op begins a full operational reset behind the scenes.

The handover marks the end of an era for former owners Peter and Margaret Pickles, who, at 95 and 90, have called time on an extraordinary chapter in the town’s history.

Arguably one of Junee’s most recognisable husband-and-wife teams, the couple, who celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary earlier this month, have operated Broadway Builders Supplies since 1967.

The acquisition also marks the start of a significant expansion for the Junee District Co-operative, which stepped in to secure the business to ensure the town retained a dedicated hardware supplier under local ownership.

The move brings Broadway Builders Supplies under the same umbrella as Junee IGA, building on the Co-op’s century-long record of keeping key local services in community hands and strengthening its footprint in the town.

The two businesses have operated as neighbours for two decades. Now, for the first time, they’ll operate as part of the same entity.

Image: Google Street View (enhanced for clarity)

From today, the Broadway business will shut for several weeks as the Co-op undertakes a transition aimed at modernising an operation that has served Junee for more than half a century.

That work is expected to include the installation of new internal systems, stock reorganisation and a general refresh of the site ahead of a soft reopening planned for May 11.

Longer-term plans are already in motion, with a full-scale refurbishment of the Broadway building slated for late 2027, representing a major reinvestment in the future of the business and reinforcing the Co-op’s long-term commitment to the site.

As part of the transition, recruitment has already begun, with the Co-op seeking customer service team members to support the operation when it reopens.

Part-time and casual roles are currently on offer, signalling both continuity and renewal as the business moves into its next chapter.

Applications are available at the express checkouts at Junee IGA, with further details available on 6924 1955 or by emailing secretary@juneeiga.com.

Image: Google Street View (enhanced for clarity)

It is not the first time the community-owned Co-op has stepped in to protect a key local service.

Across its 100-year history, the Co-op has played a stabilising role in Junee’s retail landscape, repeatedly stepping in when businesses have closed or come under pressure to help keep essential services within the town.

When Retravision, then operating as Sykes Electronics, began to struggle in 1995, the Society purchased the neighbouring store and ran it for nine years.

The Co-op again stepped up when Westpac shut its local branch in 2000, opening an in-store agency to ensure residents could still access essential banking services without leaving town.

Rather than competing with local traders, the Co-op has historically worked alongside them, selling goods on commission, supporting neighbouring businesses and advocating to keep spending within the community.

The acquisition of Broadway Builders Supplies follows that same philosophy, continuing a long-standing model built on keeping services local, supporting the town’s economy and ensuring Junee retains the businesses it relies on.

Junee IGA and Broadway Builders Supplies have been neighbours for 20 years | Image: Google Street View (enhanced for clarity)

SIX DECADES OF SERVICE

For Peter and Margaret Pickles, who step away today after 59 years at the helm, retirement marks a slower pace of life.

Now aged 95 and 90, the Junee-born couple have been fixtures of the local business landscape for generations, building Broadway Builders Supplies into one of the town’s most enduring and recognisable operations.

Their tenure spans decades of change, from the post-war building boom through to modern-day retail, with the business serving multiple generations of local families along the way.

A builder by trade, Mr Pickles helped construct more than 300 homes across Junee dating back to the early 1950s before turning his attention full-time to the hardware trade. The couple acquired Mutch’s business in 1967 and relocated to the Broadway site in 1972.

In an interview with The Daily Advertiser earlier this week, Mr Pickles said his wife had long set her sights on retiring at 90 and, faced with the prospect of running the business without her, he ultimately made the decision to sell.

The Co-op will mark the transition with a small send-off at the time of handover, recognising the couple’s extraordinary contribution to the community.

Between them, the couple leave behind a legacy defined not just by longevity, but by their deep connection to the town and the people they served.

Away from the shop floor, the couple also left their mark on the community, including teaching old-time dancing to hundreds of local students through Junee High School’s annual balls.

You can read more of their interview with The Daily Advertiser, here.