Centrecorp CEO Randle Walker keeps tight lipped on why Barkly Hardware closing doors
The chief executive says he’s ‘explained’ what’s happened to ‘politicians’, but refused to elaborate further as to why the store is set to shut. Read what he said.
Northern Territory
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The only hardware store in Tennant Creek is set to hit the market – pending the relevant documentation being signed – as a chief executive refuses to answer questions as to why the store is set to shut at the end of month.
Tennant Creek’s Barkly Hardware and Gas is set to hit the market, pending an agency agreement being signed.
Nutrien Harcourts agent Jo-Anne Pulsford said she would oversee the sale.
As no agreement had been signed, she could not give a sale price, nor a date for when it would be listed.
Yet despite this, Ms Pulsford said there had been “a lot of interest” from potential buyers of the store.
In 2022 the store sold for $850,000, according to a listing by Andrews Property.
The hardware store is set to shut on January 31.
News of the hardware store shutting first circulated on social media in December via a letter — signed by Centrecorp chief executive Randle Walker – which announced the closure.
The letter gave no reason as to why the store would shut.
This masthead understands three casuals were sacked from the store in the wake of the announcement.
Barkly Hardware is jointly owned by Centrecorp and Julalikari Aboriginal Corporation, with each holding a 50 per cent stake in the store.
Mr Walker was approached for comment.
He was questioned if he would like to explain to the public why the only hardware store in Tennant Creek was set to shut.
He refused, with the reasoning behind the decision already “explained to the politicians,” he said.
He provided no further comment.
Barkly MLA Steve Edgington confirmed he’d met with Julalikari and Centrecorp to “discuss the future of the hardware store and the importance of having the business open and operating in the best interests of the Barkly region”.
He did not respond to a question asking what the reason for store’s closure was.
He said he was “pleased” the hardware store would be put up for sale “after a couple weeks of uncertainty”.
“It would be terrific to see a locally based owner,” he said.
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Originally published as Centrecorp CEO Randle Walker keeps tight lipped on why Barkly Hardware closing doors
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