Historic Vasse General Store Shuts After 102 Years Amid New Supermarkets

The Vasse General Store, a fixture of the South West since its 1924 opening by the McGuiness family, announced its closure after 102 years of operation. Gloria and Neil MacDonald, who took over the shop in 2000, said the surge of big-box retailers—including a new Coles, McDonald’s, Shell station, Vasse Village and the Vasse Farmers’ Market owned largely by Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting—made it impossible to compete.

The store, once a fuel depot, post office and social meeting point, also offered homemade foods that supermarkets do not provide. Former owners Robert and Glenis Harders, who ran the store for 17 years, highlighted the deep personal connections with customers, describing them as family. The MacDonalds marked the end with a weekend celebration, reflecting on the store’s community legacy before retiring. The closure underscores the challenges faced by small, family-run businesses in rapidly developing regional towns.