Pics from the Past | Shepparton’s sweetest memories start at Coles cafeteria

After the building was demolished, it was replaced with the Tirana City Walk and shops with the new Taiwan Restaurant where the cafeteria was located.

The next business was the Shepparton Family Restaurant (Chinese all-you-can-eat) and currently The Indian Bar Restaurant.

Lost Shepparton comments:

Roy Price

My mother, Gladys Price, used to work there — maybe as early as 1964.

I remember that Mum was a bit annoyed because management asked her to wear stockings to work.

No way was she going to wear uncomfortable stockings, so she used a tanning product to artificially tan her legs and got away with not wearing stockings.

From memory, she worked there for one or two years.

Marilyn Banfield

I met there with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and friends for morning tea every Thursday morning — shopping day for years. Wonderful place.

Manuela Schwandt

I loved that Coles café — mum used to take my brother and I there a lot. I loved the banana and ice-cream sundaes.

Brendan Florence

I remember going here with mum every Friday morning.

She would get me seated (with my wheelchair and callipers) then order me a banana split or waffle and ice-cream, then go get herself a plate of sandwiches and a pot of tea! Vivid memories of the sights, sounds and smells of the past!

Raymond Meadows

Use to love going there when it was an all-you-could-eat Chinese restaurant.

Merle Forsyth

I cooked the fish and chips when it was the cafeteria.

Kim Vallance

My father renovated the Coles cafeteria in the late ’70s. I worked there part-time as a 14- to 16-year-old.

It was always busy and unfortunately, things changed when the then Coles moved to its current location in Vaughan St and the cafeteria in Coles there was never same and later closed.

Gregory James

Nan treated me to some ham toasties or a waffle there.

Fond memories.

Rodney Brauman

If you like a bit of Coles history, the floors are still the original and the bathroom down the back I believe has never changed.

Julianna R Thomas

I used to work in the cafeteria and the deli after school and on Saturday mornings with our white uniforms and red and white hat and aprons later to change to yellow and brown uniforms.

Dave Miller

My dear departed grandmother used to make the cakes and slices at the Coles cafeteria.

Maybe somebody remembers Dot Clark who was my fantastic nan.

Sharon Brown

I loved going there with my beautiful Nanna for afternoon tea of wobbly jelly and milkshakes.

Petra Dicker

I worked at Coles in the early ’80s on the check-out with the old push-down keys.

Loved going to the café with mum. Nice memories.

Janet Morrison

I worked there on Friday nights and Saturday mornings, and school hols from 1971 to 1974.

Worked with lots of lovely people, including Mum, of course, on the cash register.

Had fun with the other schoolgirls — Margery Myers, Julie Wilson and Annette in the soda bar.

Great memories.

Jamie Susan Grey

Worked there in 1980/81, loved the job, made the salads and worked in the little part that made the milkshakes, raisin toast and banana splits etc. Bring it back, nothing like it now.

Julieanne Gee

Use to work between the deli and the cafeteria during the school holidays.

(1980 to 1985).

Worked with a great bunch of ladies.

When it closed down in 1985, we all the went across to the new Super Kmart.

Rory McKenna Guest

My mum worked on the fish and chip counter from when the store first opened till it closed.

Her name was Elma, and they were the best fish and chips in town!

Glenys Stockdale

I remember getting green jelly with a red frog.

Wish it was still going.

Leesa Abbinga

I remember the pie, ice-cream, scoop of potato mash and boiled peas… ahhh!

Nola Ward

Remember it well. My kids loved the idea of choosing their own meal.

Greg McCoy

Loved the Coles Cafeteria, especially the banana splits in those glass boats.

A decent size banana with two scoops of ice-cream, a whirl of cream in the middle, crushed nuts and drizzled with pineapple topping and a wafer... Mmmm! Good.

... and what about the plate-sized waffles with ice-cream and maple syrup?

I could go on and on. It was the ultimate meeting place.

Ironically... it was where I met my girlfriend (now wife) because she worked on the very last counter before the cafeteria.

I wrote this poem for her on our 44th wedding anniversary to reminisce about the significance of the cafeteria.

Walking through Coles, I wanted a treat,

I ordered a shake and sat on my seat.

Where I was sitting, near the hardware aisle,

I looked up at the girl, and she gave me a smile.

I think it was love at first sight, from what I could see,

’Cause every time I looked up; she’d be looking at me.

Every time I went in, I’d select the same spot,

Even taking a paper to peek over the top.

Time after time I’d go just to stalk,

To build enough courage to go over and talk.

I’d look at the tools, no — not to buy,

Just to catch her eye and maybe say hi.

I plucked the nerve to ask what she likes to do,

She said she loved swimming, which I enjoyed too.

Summer days were hot so we’d go to the pool,

I’d try to impress her by acting the fool.

Our friendship grew stronger, we were never apart,

I think I was in love, forever in my heart.

She thought the same, we started to plot,

We even talked marriage, so we tied the knot.

Forty-four years later, and life is okay,

Three children, seven grandkids — what more can I say?

What I’ve always wanted, my dreams have come true,

Jenny my dear ‘I LOVE YOU’

Geoff Allemand is an amateur photographer and Lost Shepparton Facebook page admin. Please share your Pics from the Past at pastpics@mmg.com.au