THE future of Bibra Lake’s IGA X-Press is teetering on a knife point, but closing is not an option if the owners and loyal customers have anything to do with it.
Lou Rigo, who co-owns the store alongside Paul Buckingham, said he had never in his 15 years in charge seen so many businesses struggling as there were now.
But Mr Rigo said he was overwhelmed by the support they had received from the local community after they heard the store was in danger of closing.
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READ NOW“We are part of the community and have many loyal and friendly customers so we feel we are part of a large family,” he said.
“We know a lot of customers by their first names and they are our friends.
“Our overdraft was likely to run out through winter and staff or stock level would then suffer and the road is down hill from there.
“It has been a massive response from the community, customers are even willing to hand out flyers for free.”
He said online shopping and an oversupply of competition was hurting many locally owned businesses.
“Its not just us that needs support, all local community store have to be supported,” he said.
“We needed the message sent to our locals and the response has been sensational and hopefully it will continue.
“The local economy is the strongest we have, and we have control of that.
“One dollar spent locally keeps being spent and re-spent, a dollar spent on overseas websites or on foreign owned shops are lost forever.”