Husband and wife team Chris and Meecah Cooper open The Local Grocer supermarket in Cambridge

The phrase “Popping down to The Local” now has a whole new meaning after the opening of a new supermarket – and customers can’t get enough of it.

A NEW supermarket is already proving to be a hit with the locals after it opened on Hobart’s Eastern Shore on Friday.

The Local Grocer is an independent supermarket, owned by husband and wife Chris and Meecah Cooper.

The store had been a year in the making.

Mr Cooper said they saw the need for more grocery options in the Cambridge area.

“It’s very difficult opening a supermarket from nothing – I thought there’d be a template but that doesn’t exist,” he said.

“I think it’s just convenience and that ability to stop and grab those little items, to grab a convenient meal without having to drive to Rosny or Sorell.

“There’s people coming from Sorell and even stopping from Midway Point.”

He said there were a few corner stores in the area, but The Local was the only supermarket.

“As far as kilometres go, Rosny and Sorell have Coles and Woolworths, I wouldn’t call them close, I wouldn’t like to ride a bike there!” he said.

Husband and wife team Chris and Meecah Cooper have just opened The Local Grocer, an independent supermarket in Cambridge. Picture: Richard Jupe

Along with the essentials, the supermarket also stocks specialty local products.

Mr Cooper said he didn’t realise how popular those items would be.

“The first three days, everyone’s been saying ‘you need more’,” he said.

“Ashgrove products and Pigeon Whole bread, that’s been pretty popular. We’ve got a locally made peanut butter that’s been going pretty well.”

The couple plan to grow the store, hoping customers continue to have an appetite for local products.

“I’d love to think by having these options, that could affect the growth, but I’ll wait to see how that goes,” he said

“It’s a work in progress so if we don’t have something, let us know and we’ll get it.

“We’ve got heaps of room to add more product, we’ve got a wholegrain section to come, it might take a little while but it will look a lot different in six months.”

Originally published as Husband and wife team Chris and Meecah Cooper open The Local Grocer supermarket in Cambridge