'Spooky, dark and gross' no more: One hundred years and one big renovation of the Candelo General Store and Cafe

Walking through the stained-glass doors of the Candelo General Store and Cafe is like being embraced by history. Well, history meets rustic, modern, industrial cool … if that’s a thing. Built in 1904 in place of a departed store that was taken by fire, the “new” Candelo General Store building has just turned 100 years old.

In a town that once boasted four general stores, seven blacksmiths, three hotels, its own newspaper and a wide range of services, this now-bustling business is a reminder of a place that was once a hub for the dairy farming community in the region.

Many of the district’s dairy farms still exist and supply the famed Bega Cheese factory, but the town is a little quieter now compared with the late 1800s. That hasn’t stopped the current owners of the building, Barry and Michelle Moffitt, and the couple they lease the premises to, Louise Enbom and Teddy Masters, from taking a risk and working hard to bring the community together in this historic space.

“Poor old Candelo was in a bit of a dire state when we bought the building 10 years ago,” says Alice Moffitt, daughter of current owners Barry and Michelle.

”I protested quite a bit to my dad, telling him it was a crazy idea to buy the general store as Candelo was a bit of a ghost town back then. I’ve since been proven very wrong and we’re so lucky that Candelo has grown and grown over the years that we’ve been open and the community have really supported us.”

It was the Moffitt family who, after purchasing the building in 2014, set about restoring the rundown space.

“It was very spooky, dark and gross when we took over,” Alice says.

The space is now split between a general store supplying groceries, gifts and miscellaneous supplies and a cafe where pressed-tin ceilings meet a modern kitchen pass in the perfect blending of eras.

“We did a fair bit of work to the shop when we bought it – polished the beautiful old floorboards, painted,” Alice says.

”We added the coolroom, supermarket shelving, big counter and shelves behind; they look old but they’re not original.

”There wasn’t too much here when we bought it. We added the French doors and courtyard and then built the feed shed next door a year or two later.”

It’s clear, sitting in the cafe, that the community has embraced the business. Locals sit over long coffees catching up with friends. Actual coins are exchanged for actual newspapers in the general store. There’s a hearth in the courtyard that you can imagine acts as a gathering place for town gossip.

Sweet treats in the cabinets disappear one by one as people pop by for their daily cuppa, and the staff sing to Elton John tunes while bustling around the kitchen. It’s pleasing to see that no matter how busy you are, there’s always time for a rendition of Benny and the Jets.

The menu has everything a small town and its passing traffic could need. The burrito with its scrambled eggs and chorizo is a breakfast worthy of any hungry dairy farmer. The all-day lunches are seasonally appropriate, with winter stew, homemade sausage rolls and toasties packed with ingredients. The veggie toastie, despite its lack of meat, is a filling affair bound together by gooey cheese. And I’d place bets that no Candelo cafe had ever seen a Buddha bowl until this reincarnation of the business.

There’s also a nice selection of smoothies packed with exotic fruits such as Kiwi fruit, ginger, baby spinach, banana and coconut milk. And the juice of the day is a childhood favourite of mine: the classic combination of orange, apple and carrot, known in our household as a Yum Yum drink.

For those who like a tipple with their lunch, there are alcoholic beverages including craft beers, cloudy cider and a changing wine selection.

The Candelo General Store and Cafe, at 48 William Street Candelo, are open seven days a week from 8 am until 2:30 pm. Check out their website or Facebook page for more information.