BALLARAT, Portland, Horsham and Ararat residents have paid visits to a St Arnaud supermarket, as people continue to stock up on supplies and prepare for coronavirus-related control measures.
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Rod Notting, manager of the town's IGA, said out-of-town shoppers had been a regular feature in the store since March 6, when thousands travelled to nearby Donald for a music festival.
"Social media has got a lot to do with it," he said.
"We've had people come in and say 'A friend told us you had some stuff'. Tuesday afternoon is usually one of the quietest times of the week, but today we had four lanes open with queues"
While the store has limits on how much meat, bread, toilet paper and hand sanitiser individual customers can buy, Mr Notting said he would not consider barring non-residents from shopping at his business.
"I don't think that's fair," he said. "We have people passing through all the time - there are five main roads in St Arnaud."
Mr Notting said he had not seen busloads of people come to town to shop.
Horsham's Jen Moar said she experienced "out of town" shoppers when she was purchasing items at the Horsham Aldi store on Monday.
"I was in an isle and I overheard a conversation between a young girl and her father," she said.
"The little girl was in awe of the trolleys and said to her father 'they don't have trolleys like these at home. They are really cool and new'.
"I was intrigued and wondered where they were from.
"The father then replied and said 'yes, they are new trolleys. The shops in Melbourne don't have trolleys like this. I'm glad we came from Melbourne to do our shopping here."
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Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
