CARDAMONE MURAL

We are lucky enough to live in a suburb where within a short walking distance we have access to a good old fashioned shopping strip, Fairfield Village. On Station Street and surrounding Wingrove, Gillies and Duncan Streets, the Village offers a diverse range of restaurants, cafés, fresh produce, clothing stores and business services.

A favourite has always been Cardamone's Gourmet Supermarket. Lately there has been a change in this Station St icon. Fifty-two years after Orlando Cardamone set up a little grocery business in Fairfield, the now-thriving Cardamone Gourmet Supermarket has changed hands. The founder's daughter, Marisa Pannunzio, recalls being left to guard the family cart at Footscray Market as a small child while her father bought fruit and vegetables.

Marisa's own children have grown up in the business. Daughter Belinda, 36, says the family has had a few sad moments since selling on September 1. ''I was saying to my sister, 'Do you realise our children will have no memory of this store and it's been such a huge part of our life?''' The family's catering business, Marisa's Kitchen, will continue to supply its popular sauces, dips and pasta dishes to Cardamone and 37 other stores around the state. New owner Hui Li says the supermarket will remain a family-run business.

The mural in the supermarket's fresh fruit and vegetable area was a welcoming sight. It is unfortunate with the change of hands some refrigerators have been installed right in front of it, almost completely obliterating it (see last photo). We really can't stand in the way of progress, but at least I am glad I was able to photograph the mural before it was hidden away...

This post is part of the Monday Mellow Yellows meme,
and also part of the Mandarin Orange Monday meme,
and also part of the Monday Murals meme.