Much-loved Central Market stall House of Organics to close after 30 years
A Central Market institution will close for good at Christmas after more than 30 years, as increasing competition from supermarkets and rising costs hit hard.
Much-loved Central Market stall House of Organics will close at Christmas after more than three decades in operation.
Owner Bill Howison said that the “time was right” to shut up shop, with rising business costs, increasing supermarket competition and changing consumer habits making it difficult to stay open.
“It’s the end of an era for sure,” he said.
“But it’s not a sad end. Our lease was coming up and we just thought it was a good time to pull up stumps.”
Mr Howison, 41, started working at House of Organics about 22 years ago, and has been owner, alongside wife Emma, for the past 13 years.
He said the stall, first opened more than 30 years ago, remained viable but there had been a “slow decline” as the Central Market became more of a community space with less of a retail focus.
“We don’t shop the same way we did 10-15 years ago,” he said.
“It’s more of a lifestyle place now. Yes they’re still shopping but they come for lunch, coffee, catch-up with friends … it’s not just a hardcore retail environment that it once was.
“But that’s what markets do, they change with the public around them.”
Mr Howison said growing business costs, coupled with increasing numbers of supermarkets, made it “very tough to compete”.
“And there’s just a hell of a lot of them,” he said.
“It’s pretty tough for small business at the moment.
“The cost to the customer hasn’t kept pace with the rising cost of business. It’s a tricky one.”
Mr Howison said he’d noticed several long-term market traders have moved on in the last few years.
“That’s one of those generational changes. It’s just a different environment now.”
House of Organics’ impending closure comes eight months after another market favourite shut down.
Con’s Fruit and Veg, a staple of the Central Market for 45 years, shut up shop in March, with its owners announcing they were retiring.
The Persian Art Treasure will also close at the end of the month after 15 years in the Market plaza.
Celebrated Adelaide butcher Standom Smallgoods, bulk food store Whole + Some and Kim Wang Supermarket are among a host of long-running stalls and businesses in the market that have pulled the pin in the last 18 months.
Adelaide Central Market Authority general manager Fabienne Reilly said the market “continues to evolve”.
“While this marks the end of a long and successful chapter, the Adelaide Central Market remains committed to preserving the exceptional standards and variety of local produce that our community relies on,” she said.
“We encourage our customers to shop local and support small business.”
House of Organics will close for good after Christmas trade, but Mr Howison won’t be going far.
He and his wife will continue to operate their other market stall located just 50m away, Smiley’s Tuckshop.
Launched two years ago, the stall takes inspiration from classic milk bars and delis of the past, serving up several nostalgic, made-to-order items.
“We’ve built a strong customer base, we’ve got great clientele … it’s an exciting new chapter,” Mr Howison said.
Isabel Pratt, who’s worked with House of Organics for more than a year, said working at the store had been “really great”.
“Everyone that we work with is really good,” she said.
“We’re all friends, we all know each other and it’s just nice to be in the Market.
“It’s always sad to say goodbye to things and we’ve got such a good thing going here.”
Ms Pratt said her favourite part of the job was talking to the customers, which she will miss.
“I love it, you meet so many people coming through and everyone’s really lovely,” she said.
Ross Savvas, who has co-run Con’s Fine Foods along with his brothers Alex and Anthony for more than 20 years, said he had noticed the evolving state of the Market.
“(The market) has become more of a destination to experience, as Bill says, it’s more of a lifestyle.”
“As opposed to many years ago, it was more of a shopping destination.”
He said the Central Market had become a growing tourist destination in South Australia, bringing in more foot traffic, but still not enough to support the current retail squeeze.
Mr Savvas who has a close relationship with Mr Howison, said he’s “sad to see House of Organics go”, but looks forward to still seeing him over at Smiley’s Tuckshop.
House of Organics regular customers Lucy and Dean, who shop weekly at the food store, say it’s a “real shame” to see it go.
“We quite like it, it’s the only place where you can see what you’re buying,” Lucy said.
Other market regulars Kevin and Sylvia said it “upsets them to see shops closing anywhere”.
“Unless you’re on the ground floor in the market and getting the traffic, it makes it really hard,” Kevin said.
“There’s not a lot of people in here either.”
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