Naracoorte’s Morris Bakery closes without warning after almost 80 years – leaving main street with yet another empty shop

A once-renowned country bakery has abruptly shut its doors after 80 years of trading, leaving locals worried about the ever decreasing lack of shops in the town’s main street.

End of an era: Naracoorte's iconic Morris and Sons Bakery has closed its doors after over eighty years of business in the country town. Picture: Jessica Dempster

A once-beloved bakery on the Limestone Coast has closed its doors for good after almost 80 years of business, leaving locals to worry about the future of the town’s main street as yet another shop shuts.

Established in 1946, Morris Bakery in Naracoorte has been a family owned-and-operated staple of the Naracoorte and Limestone Coast community for almost 80 years until it closed its doors for the last time on February 5.

The business had been struggling for several years, with many locals sharing on social media its produce was no longer measuring up to the quality it once was.

During its prime – and in addition to making and selling goods from their Smith Street shop – Morris Bakery distributed their pastries, sweets and bread across the Limestone Coast and beyond the Victorian border; providing local businesses with products for wholesale and providing catering to schools and football clubs.

Their pies were legendary, their doughnuts a staple after school or work treat for both the young and the old and people lined out the door on lunch breaks waiting to order a fresh salad sandwich or roll from the beloved sandwich bar.

End of an era: Naracoorte's iconic Morris Bakery has closed its doors after more than 80 years of business in the country town. Picture: Jessica Dempster.

However after a decline in quality, an increase in competition as another bakery opened on the adjacent Ormerod St and a lack of foot traffic as multiple neighbouring stores closed, the swarms of customers reduced to a trickle of faithful regulars and the odd traveller.

No official announcement has been made by the bakery via either their social media or signage on their storefront concerning the business’s future, but for now the lights are off, the doors are closed and the shelves are empty for the first time on a weekday in decades.

Naracoorte locals took to social media to share their disappointment concerning the loss of their town’s iconic bakery.

“Very sad indeed. Was such a bustling, successful business that was so iconic to our town and districts for many years,” one user said.

“So sad to see another business closing their doors, after such great service to Naracoorte, for so many years. The Morris, family can hold their heads high,” said another.

End of an era: Naracoorte's iconic Morris and Sons Bakery has closed its doors after over eighty years of business in the country town. PICTURE: Jessica Dempster.

“The whole shop needed extensive updating, the poor owners just lost interest. Standard of food isn’t what it once was.”

The bakery’s abrupt closure means yet another storefront on the once bustling Smith Street now sits empty, with the shop’s neighbour Naracoorte Flowers and Gifts ceasing trading just a few weeks ago in January and the local newsagent on the other side of the bakery closing down several years ago.

Smith Street also lost one of its main drawing cards in 2021 with the closing of Naracoorte’s Target Country store.

In recent years a new GP clinic and a Reject Shop have opened up in hopes of revitalising the main street, which at one point acted as the retail hub for surrounding towns.

However, even with these recent endeavours, locals are concerned for the future of their town’s main street and fear the closing of Morris Bakery may serve as another nail in the town’s coffin.

“Years of Naracoorte history gone,” a Naracoorte local man told The Advertiser as he was passing by the empty bakery.

“The main street is starting to look like a ghost town.”

The owners and managers of Morris Bakery have been contacted for comment.