Melbourne's old supermarkets: Tuckerbag, Franklins, Bi-Lo

Remember Tuckerbag savings and no frills Franklins? Step back in time and inside old suburban supermarkets.

There was no late night shopping or self-serve check-outs in the early days of Melbourne supermarkets.

As well as Safeway, Coles, and Woolworths, Melbourne shoppers used to be able to pick up groceries from Tuckerbag, Franklins and Bi-Lo, as well as a range of independent grocers.

Belinda Read, who runs the I grew up in Box Hill Facebook page, said Moran & Cato grocery stores used to be everywhere in Melbourne.

Formed in 1881, the chain operated at several locations including South Yarra and Fitzroy.

The Moran & Cato store in South Yarra in 1940. Picture: Lyle Fowler, courtesy State Library Victoria.

Ms Read said her first memories were of Dickens, another popular grocer, that was based on the corner of Main and Market streets in Box Hill.

“I remember the neighbours saying ‘Oh I’ll pick that up at Dickens and that sort of thing,” she said.

“That was early 60s.

“Then (Doncaster) Shoppingtown opened up and Coles New World opened in about 1969.

“That was the new big exciting place and that had drive-through pick up.

“You’d do your shopping and later on drive through where the cinemas are now and all the boys would be out there with tubs with all your shopping in it.

“They’d load it into the back of your car, like a bottle shop.

“That was quite the exciting thing.”

Catching the bus home from Doncaster Shoppingtown. Picture: I grew up in Box Hill Facebook page.

Ms Read said she remembers when all local shopping strips had their own grocery store.

“All the shopping strips, where milk bars would be, most of those had a butcher, fruit and veg store and a little grocery shop,” she said.

Ms Read said she remembers when there was no scanning of items – staff had to type in the code of each product, before boys packed up paper bags with all your shopping.

She also remembers one of the first big Asian grocers opening on the corner of Bank and Station streets in Box Hill.

Many shoppers also have fond memories of Nancarrow’s, described as “Melbourne’s cheapest grocer”.

Nancarrow's grocery store, Albert Park Melbourne 1974.

Pic credit @Library_Vic pic.twitter.com/FsCjJd4xgV

— Old Shops Australia (@oldshopsoz) July 13, 2020

On the Whitehorse Leader Facebook page, Danny Hogg also remembered Harry Heaths supermarket at Forest Hill Chase, where he got his first job aged 15 in 1980.

“Shops closed at midday on Saturdays and then the afternoon was spent cleaning the fridges and freezers,” he said.

“I also was a bag packer at the check-outs using the old brown bags and carrying them out to customer cars if they requested.

“Paid $1.20 an hour.”

Check out these great photos of Melbourne's old supermarkets.

TUCKERBAG

Staff at Ocean Grove Tuckerbag. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Known for its memorable ads, featuring much-loved Tucker (a talking paper bag), many shoppers still have fond memories of Tuckerbag supermarkets. There was no shortage of bargains, including two chickens for $7 with 10 free sausages thrown in.

The store was a big hit with shoppers. Picture: Peter Ristevski

“My mum used to shop at Tuckerbag and Franklins – always remember getting our shopping in big paper brown bags,” Julianne Polak wrote on the Knox Leader Facebook page.

“I worked at Tuckerbag in Scoresby we had a lot of fun back then,” Nicole Mancer said.

“I was in the Tuckerbag club, on your birthday you’d get a paper bag with things in it. I loved getting this on my birthday,” Jade Brown said.

Tuckerbag had about 78 stores in Victoria before the brand sadly disappeared in the 1990s.

FRANKLINS

Franklins was a popular spot to pick up a bargain.

Franklins was a hit with bargain hunters, with its No Frills brand including its own generic version of Oil of Olay moisturiser, dubbed “Oil of No Frills”. Leader readers also had fond memories of Jewel Food Stores, another discount chain which operated until the 1990s. Like Aldi, customers had to pack their own bags.

Jewel Food Stores were also popular. Picture: John Guster

BI-LO

State manager of the Bi-Lo supermarket chain, Martin Lewis, in the pet food section in 1991.

Another popular discount supermarket, Bi-Lo, had outlets in several major shopping centres, including Chadstone, before Coles took the stores over.

COLES

A 1960s New World supermarket in suburban Melbourne. Photo supplied by Coles.

GJ Coles opened the first Coles store in Smith St, Collingwood, in 1914, with the “New World” branded supermarkets opening across Melbourne in the 1960s.

A couple shopping at Coles New World in 1990.

A shopper browsing a Coles New World in 1973.

WOOLWORTHS

Woolworths in Box Hill. Picture: I grew up in Box Hill Facebook page

The first Woolworths store, known as Woolworths Stupendous Bargain Basement, opened in Sydney in 1924.

The first Big W store followed in Tamworth in 1976. In 1985, Woolworths bought all 126 Safeway stores across Australia.

Safeway Croydon. Picture: Wolfgang Sievers. Source: State Library Victoria