South Gippsland Supermarket Stalwarts
Chris O’Leary As young blokes growing up around the beaches of Dromana, Brendan and Chris O’Leary earned their coin in the local supermarket – like so many other teenagers. But they’ve since forged decades-long careers out of their afterschool jobs and are now welcoming the next generation of the O’Leary family into the retail fold in South Gippsland. The pair now head up supermarkets in Leongatha and Inverloch, and remain steadfast brothers in arms as they navigate one of the most challenging times for retailers. Ironically, Brendan and Chris started their retail careers working for brothers – Michael and Tony Lorenz. The Lorenz brothers owned the Dromana IGA, or Festival as it was known in the 90s, where Brendan, the older of the brothers, began working as a cashier. “I started off when I was 15 as a casual in the supermarket in Dromana so I was there as a casual when Michael and his brother bought the store,” Brendan explained. “I think I’d been there for four or so years by then. I got my Bachelor of Education but at the time the Kennett government had just got in and were cutting back on the jobs, so I initially didn’t get a placement and Michael offered me fulltime work at the supermarket and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.” Meanwhile his brother Chris was looking for work, and the Lorenz brothers took him under their wing. “I sort of walked off the beach one day and Michael pulled me into the office and said he didn’t realise I was looking for work,” said Chris. “I used to wash his car in the carpark for a bit of cash in hand back in the day, and I pretty much started the next day fulltime. Been there ever since.”
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A year later, the Lorenz brother sold the store to Ritchies and dissolved their partnership. Michael Lorenz purchased supermarkets in Korumburra and Leongatha, and eventually convinced Chris and Brendan to come and work for him at Michael’s SUPA IGA in the towns.
“I think I started off as an assistant manager at Leongatha and Chris was working at Korumburra,” said Brendan. “I worked there for four years and after about six months I became manager of the store in Leongatha and then I left there in 1999 to come and work for Dom and Tracey down here in FoodWorks Inverloch at the old shop. It used to be where Paul the Pieman is now.” While the O’Leary brothers no longer work under the same roof, they still rely heavily on each other’s advice. “I know Brendan and I try and have the same weekends off, because we’re pretty close, we socialise together. Unfortunately, we talk a bit of shop when we do get together.” Brendan agrees: “We are pretty close, and when we get together, we’re talking shop a fair bit.” The close relationship has never been more important than during the pandemic, as both brothers deal with stock uncertainty and staff shortages.
