Big W celebrates 25 years with a store at Richmond

Just the other week the department store celebrated its 25^th year in Richmond.

Since opening its doors in May 1997, incredibly, 10 team members have been there since the first day, racking up an amazing 250 years between them.

Wendy Dorrestyn, Prue Franklin, Pat Hughes, Wendy Hunt, Gayle Keene, Dianne Sant, Denise Jones, Sandra Cameron, Jenny Thompson and Elizabeth Muratore, remember the store opening like it was yesterday.

During the staff's celebration, they had reminisced about the store's early days, when BIG W Richmond sold hardware, motoring and even paint supplies.

They also shared the most notable changes to the store and company, including the installation of self-serve registers, becoming an online digital retailer and more recently, the introduction of online pick up orders.

Other changes to the store were the department adjustments as required with the ever changing customer demands, along with the home entertainment and cosmetics departments - which were designed as shops within BIG W - now being opened up.

Founding team members, Wendy Dorrestyn, Prue Franklin and Dianne Sant, said there had been plenty of changes at the store over the years.

They mentioned being there prior to the stores official opening, how the back entry was originally muddy and how the store has improved massively.

"The way the store is built on the inside and everything, it's all changed," said Wendy.

"You have all your regulars that you see over the 25 years and then you see some of them coming back, but their kids have already had kids. It's very family oriented.

"The changes you cope with them. The people, the staff you work with, they're great."

The women said that they've liked working at the store for so long.

"I like the work, the people I work with are really good, makes it makes it a worthwhile place to work," said Prue. "The team makes a big difference."

"Time has just gone so quick and it's a great community and great team here.

"And the customers keep coming back to us as the years go on and we just try to make it comfortable for them to shop in here, which keeps us all in the job."

Big W hasn't just been a place of work for some of the staff. Denise met her husband at the store, who she is still married to, with two kids.

Store Manager Gary Emery has been with BIG W for over 25 years and at the Richmond store for nearly five years.

He said he has enjoyed being part of a friendly, motivated team who look out for one another, their customers and the community.

"We have such a close knit community here, the team and I know many of our regular customers by name and we always strive to help each customer the best we can," he said.

"This strong sense of community really shined through with the numerous floods and fires in the area and surrounding suburbs which prevented team members and customers getting to the store.

"Those that were able to, would assist in delivering goods to those in need and we would all reach out to one another to check in and ultimately just be someone we could talk to."