Community & Business
3 August, 2022
A very happy first birthday
It is a year since Shane and Tracy Smith did something quite special for the community of Westbrook - buying the supermarket that had recently closed its doors, and offering all the previous staff employment.
The benefits were twofold - the community got to keep its local supermarket and a team of hardworking locals kept their jobs either at The Local Grocer, Westbrook or at the Smiths’ other IGA supermarket, at nearby Pittsworth.
The couple’s son, Andrew, joined them as a partner in the Westbrook business while daughter Jess is also very involved in the family business.
On Friday they celebrated with staff and cut a huge iced cake made in the bakery of the Pittsworth store which supplies all the fresh bread, pastries and cakes to the Westbrook store.
After buying The Local Grocer last year, the Smiths undertook a refurbishment and expanded the fresh offerings and the deli range as well as adding a gluten-free range.
They have continued to operate the takeaway food outlet.
