Wagga’s family businesses were recognised today as part of celebrations to mark National Family Business Day.
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The initiative by industry body Family Business Australia acknowledges the contributions that family businesses make to the national economy, community and culture.
Taking part was David and Fran Payne, owners of Gateway Bookshop in South Town Walk.
Mr Payne said the sector was more important than ever to the local economy in light of numerous business closures earlier this year.
“I recommend it also as lifestyle,” he said.
“While it’s not easy, there’s also the independence.
“As well, working as a family in a business, you’re a lot more cooperative and working towards the same goals.
“A lot of family businesses are successful because they know that what contribution they make is also contribution outside of the business.”
The Paynes have owned the iconic bookstore for the past 31 years.
Prior, it was another family that owned it for 19 years.
Mr Payne said family businesses were the backbone of the Australian story.
“You see that from immigrants since World War Two – the social and economic developments are because of family businesses,” he said.
The social and economic developments [of Australia] are because of family businesses.
- David Payne, owner of Gateway Bookshop
Gateway Bookshop’s social media is managed by their daughter in Canberra.
In the Riverina, the number of registered businesses with turnovers of less than $100,000 was 34.6 per cent in the 2016 financial year based on data by Regional Development Australia Riverina.
As well, the number of businesses with turnovers of $100,000–$200,000 increased by 127 (4pc) in the same period.
The family-business culture was also marked by Kitos Coffee and Global Dining, which was opened in June this year by a group of siblings.
Co-owner Rosie Powell said she and her siblings, Angela and Michael Galluzzo, opened the cafe to honour Franco Robles, their brother-in-law who died last year, and to give back to the community.
“It was his dream to do it and now we’re doing it,” Mrs Powell said.
“It’s the first time we’ve all done something like this together – all three of us worked in hospitality together but not for ourselves.”
The cafe is giving back to the community via karma tokens: customers choose to donate tokens to a number of charities and the store donates funds to the charity with the most tokens after a certain period.
Casey Wilson, relationship-development manager at Wagga Business Chamber, said the city was fortunate to have a diverse cross-section of family owned and operated businesses that are passed down in generations.
“I think it’s fantastic to see so many locals opening their own businesses and giving it a go against the larger corporations,” Miss Wilson said.
“We find that when local family-owned businesses are supported, they reinvest their money back into the local economy by spending at other local businesses and supporting local sporting teams, which in turn helps the region to grow.”
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