Sharan Callender (centre) with daughter Caity (left) and team member Natalie. Photo: Marion Williams.
A much-loved building in Bodalla is being returned to its old purpose as a general store.
For Sharan Callender, it is returning home. Her parents bought the general store at 81 Princes Highway in 1972 when the young family moved to Bodalla from Tharwa via Narooma.
It is also a fresh start for her and her pastry cook husband David. After successfully running Bodalla Bakery across the road at 66 Princes Highway, Bodalla General is the opportunity to build on the strong foundations and loyal following they have nurtured over the past 20 years.
“My mum and dad brought this from the Brice family 54 years ago,” Ms Callender said. The Brice family were among Bodalla’s early settlers.
“Mum kept it for 10 years and then sold it to Ian Hockey of Malibu Mex fame, so it has an illustrious past.”
Mr Hockey ran the Mexican-themed restaurant very successfully for years before selling it to Rob Pollock, a longstanding Eurobodalla Shire councillor.
Sharan, David and their daughter Caity worked for Mr Hockey and Mr Pollock back in the day.
“It eventually came back into Ian’s hands. He renovated it and opened it up as Malibu Mex, of which a lot of people have very fond memories,” she said. “In its second iteration it was more beachy.”
It was Mr Hockey who did all the stonework in the inviting courtyard. The Bodalla longboard legend and restaurateur passed away in 2013.
Ian Hockey did the stonework in the courtyard when he ran it as Malibu Mex. Photo: Marion Williams.
The building has since been home to The Downward Dog Cafe and more recently 6 and Out which opened in 2022.
Bodalla General opened its doors on 22 December.
Three days earlier, Bodalla Bakery closed its doors for the last time. It first opened in 1870.
It came into the hands of Mr Callender’s aunt and uncle around 1962. They eventually leased it to the Motbeys, another family name synonymous with Bodalla. The McCuaig family then bought the property and offered the Callenders the lease.
Like any small business owners, they have seen ups and downs over the years and attempts to expand have had mixed success.
“We thought it would be good to open in Narooma and then we realised it wasn’t right for us to have two businesses,” she said.
Then an acquaintance told them that Gundary Store in Moruya was coming up for lease.
They decided to take the plunge to move to Moruya and Gundary Bakers was born with their children Caity and Lach at the helm. That has been another great success.
Bodalla General Store back in the day, pictured with visitors from Ireland who were staying at the pub. Photo: Supplied.
The COVID lockdown was another challenge. Bodalla Bakery usually made 20 to 40 celebration cakes every week, but that income dried up when no parties were allowed.
They branched into preparing platters and boxes. “On Mother’s Day we did 267 serves of high teas that we delivered along the coast to people’s homes,” she said.
Since then, the business has been buoyed for five years by the influx of workers on the nearby Southern Water Supply Storage facility and Eurobodalla sewerage scheme.
Bodalla General sells cakes, pies, bread, milk and a select range of pantry and homeware items such as scented candles.
They plan to add some local produce and look forward to starting pop-up breakfasts, cake n sips, kids classes, special events and of course the famous high tea is back in the beautiful venue.
The business is licensed, so Mexican-themed nights are another possibility.
What pleases her most is how locals have responded to the new space.
“We have been finding it is heavily used for meetings, gatherings and lots of functions,” Ms Callender said. “I am thrilled people are having conversations and loving the space. We want it to be relaxed and loved by the locals.”
Bodalla General is located at 81 Princes Highway, Bodalla. They’re open from 6:00 am until 3:30 pm Monday to Friday, and from 7 am until 2:30 pm on Saturday. Keep up with them via their Facebook page.
