How would you like to walk in to a store which gives you the convenience of a complete store and the same time a nice, tidy, and organised place to shop? That is exactly the shopping experience offered by Tindahan Filipino and Grocery Store, an enterprise owned by couple Roy and Imee Pabustan. Roy enthused that 30% of the store’s inventory are catered to the Filipino market, including Asian (mostly Filipino) products, frozen goods, different kinds of rice, and balikbayan box, among other things, but the store really targets a broader market base. The store even offers remittance services and subscription to the Filipino channel.
Borne out of wife Imee’s knack for selling, a talent honed over years of selling in the neighbourhood in her younger years, and her years of experience in a Filipino store, venturing out on their own is the natural next course when an opportunity to buy a grocery store came up. Having this store is his wife’s dream, Roy shared, the reason for which the family took on the challenge, foremost of which is having a seven-day work week. Among the other difficulties they had to hurdle was getting reliable suppliers, the travel from house to the shop, and organising the shelves properly. But these were of no object compared to the fulfillment with the fruition of Imee’s dream.
Only two months into the business, the couple is satisfied with the income generated. To keep the store’s edge, the couple ensures that the store’s display shelves are orderly to ensure convenient shopping, the prices of their goods are competitive, and that they will continue to offer a wide selection of products. Their initial anxiety and apprehensions about the store might not profit has now been overtaken by an enthusiasm to perhaps branch out to catering. And we can expect the Pabustan’s to display the same optimism and commitment to take the calculated steps to success.
*Tindahang Filipino and Asian Grocery is located in Lalor Plaza Shopping Centre. Contact tindahan.grocery@yahoo.com.au for enquiries.
