When Kat Montgomery saw the 1930s general store in Nevertire in the central west of NSW, she knew she had to have it - but there was a lot of work to be done.
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The finance worker had met her husband in Dubbo and relocated to Nevertire, only to be wooed by a career change.
She created The Rural Trader, selling food, coffee, homewares, gifts and clothing, and the business has enjoyed "every success", according to Ms Montgomery.
But, also according to Ms Montgomery, success is a mindframe, and the attitude you bring with you to small business is often what you get out.
"It would be very easy for me to say that it's really tough at the moment and people aren't spending as much money and we're not seeing as much travel-through traffic," Ms Montgomery told ACM.
"But the way I determine success: our doors are open, I have excellent staff, and I have a fantastic community."
When everyone is watching every penny they're spending, people still want to treat themselves.
"People still want to enjoy that delicious pasta or buy that lovely relish without spending too much money," Ms Montgomery said.
The ethos behind the store is to "expect the unexpected in the bush".
"I want people to know they can get things here that they can't get anywhere else out here," Ms Montgomery said.
"I wanted to create a hub that gives something to the community and travellers alike that isn't available currently in our local area."
Getting the store in shape was a hard slog. And, as a young business owner, Ms Montgomery faced numerous challenges, including securing funding.
First, the renovation team had to clean "seventy years of dust storms" off everything, including the floorboards.
A few months after purchasing the building, it was in the path of "a once in 100 year cyclonic event" which caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damages.
"That set me back. I wasn't sure if I had enough gas in the tank to do it or not. But I persevered, kept going, and renovated during COVID," Ms Montgomery said.
"We had the roof ripped off, the asbestos ceilings, there was no plumbing, electricity, nothing - a brick structure, and you're starting from the beginning."
A few items found inside the old building take pride of place in The Rural Trader, including the old cash register which took three men to carry, as well as a meat safe and trinkets.
"When I was renovating I really wanted to mix the old with the new," Ms Montgomery said.
"There was concrete render on the walls inside and we had to hand chip it off, then get drills with wire brushes on them ... Now, there's a huge, big, beautiful, restored brick wall which is original.
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"We've built a coffee window, a commercial kitchen, change rooms ... We've tried to keep as much of the original character of the store as we could."
Bacon and egg rolls are the most popular menu item, and Ms Montgomery said "people drive for miles to get them". This is followed by the fancy bread and delicious cookies, sourced from an Orange bakery.
Gifts and clothing are popular both in-store and online.
"We ship products to people all over the country, from WA to Tasmania. Our social media presence seems to be growing exponentially every day - we're up to 8000 followers."
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Sarah Falson
Sarah is Explore's Digital News Editor. She believes regional travel is just as fun (if not better) than staying in the big cities and loves any travel experience to do with nature, animals and food!. My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me. Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life. My top travel tip is … Don’t plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what’s within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.
