General News
22 December, 2021
Cobden Newsagency will close in January
COBDEN Newsagency will close in January, in what has been a bittersweet decision for owners Karen and Andrew McConachy.
COBDEN Newsagency will close in January, in what has been a bittersweet decision for owners Karen and Andrew McConachy.
Mrs McConachy said the business had been on the market for 11 months, with an armed robbery at the store in January this year forcing the pair’s hand.
“It’s very hard and emotional, but we’ve tried everything to sell the business,” she said.
“Since the robbery, family illness and the stresses of operating a business in COVID conditions, it has finally become too much and has led us to this decision.
“We are grateful for the efforts of Alistair Tune of Ray White Camperdown, Laura Hultgren, Cobden’s business development officer and councillor Jo Beard, who have all exhausted every conceivable avenue to procure a sale for us, unfortunately, to no avail.
“We have approached almost every retail business in Cobden to take over the newspaper deliveries and Tatts franchise, sadly, none of these businesses held an interest in retaining either facility in town.”
The final newspaper delivery will be conducted on Friday, December 31 and the Tatts franchise will remain in store until Saturday, January 15, 2022.
The newsagency doors will close for the last time on Friday, January 21, 2022.
The couple has owned the business for 16 years.
“We came to Cobden to look at a bed and breakfast which was for sale, we ended up buying the newsagents,” Mrs McConachy said.
“We’ve loved every minute of it up until January this year.”
Mrs McConachy said the Cobden community made them feel so welcome when they arrived and have been very supportive over these past 16 years.
“We are very sad to be saying farewell and will miss our customers terribly,” she said.