General News
26 July, 2023
Reicha's history on display
REICHA’S Drapery began its 70th celebrations this week with a historic display honouring the institution Les Reicha built.
REICHA’S Drapery began its 70th celebrations this week with a historic display honouring the institution Les Reicha built.
Reicha’s Drapery owners Michael and Wayne Reicha have unveiled a window display comprised of a wide range of photographs of the store’s history from over the years, when their parents Les and Elaine built the business from the back of an old van.
Michael said he had enjoyed many members of the community visiting the store throughout the week to view the display and discuss his family’s history.
“It’s good bringing back those memories because I was only 14 when dad died, so a lot of them probably knew more of him than I did,” he said.
“They were really complimentary of who dad was as a bloke, and the business, with lots of good stories about the people he helped out.
“There are lots of memories and really good ideas coming out of our 70-year celebration.”
The Terang Express published a story earlier this month regarding the 70-year milestone.
Michael said the support the community had shown over the past fortnight had helped him learn more about his father, as locals visited the store to share their memories.
“It’s been a great history lesson; I’ve learned a lot more over the last fortnight since the publication of a Terang Express article earlier this month than I knew prior,” he said.
“It’s been good for a lot of people who have been customers over the journey, and a lot of oldies who remember the old van he drove around in.
“I learnt things that he had done that I hadn’t known about.”
Reicha’s Drapery was established in 1953 after a young Les Reicha found his way to the south west after emigrating to Australia from Lebanon.
“He came here with nothing and handfed our generation,” Michael said.
“He, and a lot of others his age, started off with nothing and we bear the fruits of their labour; our generation, and generations beyond.
“They’re the ones who rolled up their sleeves. I couldn’t imagine jumping on a boat at 21 with nothing and going from Lebanon to Australia.
“We take the soft option in life and they always took the hard option; prepared to work and put everything on the line.”
Michael said while discovering more about his family history had been a wonderful experience, he understood stories of resilience and hard work were shared by families across the region.
“It’s interesting and inspiring for a lot of people; but every family has that story too,” he said.
“A lot of the people who started on the farms without much started the same way.
“That’s why we’re still here; he set the ground rules of how life should be, and mum too rearing us four children and managing the store after dad died.
“But everyone has a great story; being able to put it in a shopfront just makes it a little more obvious.”
