Georges Workwear and Country Outfitters to close after 125 years

From humble beginnings as a horse-drawn wagon at the turn of the century to the iconic wooden building it is today, a regional Queensland business will soon close its doors for the last time.

It’s a family business that has been a part of Catherine George’s life since the day she was born, but come 1pm on June 1 she will close the doors for the very last time.

From humble beginnings as a horse-drawn wagon in 1899, Georges Workwear and Country Outfitters will close down after 125 years of business as Catherine looks to retirement.

The closure comes after the business failed to sell at auction in October, with Catherine and the team now busily working to clear the store’s stock and the building on the open market.

“It’s very mixed emotions, the shop has always been part of my life since I was born and that’s nearly 73 years,” she said.
“But I’m very much looking forward to retiring because the older we get we can’t be as clever or energetic as we were when we were younger.

“I was hoping there would be someone in the family who had the passion for retail to do it, but as time goes by and children get degrees and go away to university and get swept of their feet in another place by a gorgeous looking sheila or handsome man, that’s always part of it but the most important thing is they’re doing what’s important to them and living their life.”

Catherine George from Georges Workwear and Country Outfitters. Photo: Sharyn O'Neill / The Morning Bulletin

Catherine said since announcing the closure she’d had many calls and visits from loyal customers who understood why she was closing the doors.

“I was thinking ‘oh they’ll hate me’ but I’ve had so many people call in to say ‘Catherine we understand, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do’,” she said.

“When you get over 70 you don’t know how much time you’ve got, you’ve got to do all the things that are really important to you and your family, it’s time for that now.

“People have been very understanding and I’ve been touched by that and they’ve been telling me some of their memories of their family coming, and some of them are fourth and fifth generation customers so they’re like part of the family.”

Throughout the years Catherine has met people from near and far, with customers as far as the Northern Territory and even having visitors from overseas.

She said she believed one of the keys to the businesses success was the way the team looked after their customers.

“People have always been at the core of Georges, our customers, our suppliers and our staff , that’s the reason I think we’ve been successful for so long,” she said.

“We’ve always tried to look after people, they’re at the core of what we do, it’s not the the pretty things on the shelf, it’s about what people need and what they want and servicing those needs.”

Catherine said while she was looking forward to retirement, she would miss the business.

“It’ll be like a wrench when I do leave, but it’s just time,” she said.

“Life is full of change and change will adapt and it will provide someone else the opportunity in the community if they want to do something like we’ve done or whatever.

“It’s never too late they can call me up any day and say ‘oh I think I might be interested’ because it really has been a wonderful thing to be an icon in the Central Queensland community.”

Georges Workwear and Country Outfitters.

Georges Workwear and Country Outfitters opened in 1899 and started as a horse-drawn wagon owned by Catherine’s grandfather Elien George.

Elien moved to Australia at the age of 20 from Latakia in Syria and started Georges with just his horses and a wagon, going around to communities in Central Queensland.

The first Georges store was set up on the corner of Alma and Derby Streets, with the current building being built in 1996, just three years before the store celebrated its milestone 100 year anniversary.

Catherine said she believed her grandfather Elien would be proud of the business 125 years on from its inception.

“I think he would be very happy it’s actually provided for his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren up until today,” she said.

“Grandad left Latakia as a 20-year-old young man with his brother and they came to Australia, and established a travelling business providing goods and services to people on the land throughout Central Queensland.

“They worked incredibly hard, it was a whole family affair, it was a team, over the years all the family were involved in the business.”

Catherine thanked the Central Queensland community for all their support throughout the years.

Originally published as Georges Workwear and Country Outfitters to close after 125 years