Waterfront General Store, Empire Bay
Today, as you walk along the waterfront, near the marina, it is hard to identify which house was the Empire Bay General Store. Yet, the shape of the building has remained, and you will be surprised when you discover that part of our local history.
Number 12 Sorento Rd, part of the Arthur Rickard’s Sorrento Estate subdivision, was purchased by Ben Flowerdew in 1906. Ownership changed hands a few times until, in 1921, boatbuilder Arthur Davis purchased blocks 12, 14 and 16. The 1919 valuation records for #12 refer to a “Weatherboard cottage, iron roof, four rooms, kitchen.” In 1928 Arthur transferred #12 to his son Harry Davis, and daughter Olive Settree. Later valuation reports and 1928 photographs suggest the cottage was converted to a shop facing the marina. Gosford Times (August 1928) records the granting of a Sunday Trading Licence to Harry Davis & Olive Settree. So, by 1928, the “Davis & Settree Cash and Carry Store” was opened. Olive worked the store, while her brother Harry worked at the marina.
The 1928 photograph suggests the “Davis & Settree” shop was built first, and later the family home (left side) built next to it. The shop became an important weekend and afternoon attraction along the reserve, serving ice creams, cold meats, drinks and cigarettes. The Sorrento Road entrance of the shop, with its hard apron surface, served petrol, oils and boat fuel.
Land Title records show the property remained with the Davis & Settree family until 1978/1979 when Ray & Margaret Byrnes purchased the property and the business.
Ray & Margaret Byrnes moved from Baulkham Hills to Empire Bay 1978 and made the store an important part of the community. They lived in the adjoining house next to the store. Ray speaks proudly of the “fresh groceries, the best range of lollies, the devon sandwiches and lottery tickets they sold”. They served petrol (Amoco), kerosene, outboard fuel & LPG gas bottles. He remembers, during the 1979/1980 petrol strikes, limiting each family to $2 of petrol which enabled the locals to drive to the railway station for work for the week. Ray & Margaret recall the Christmas parade events on the waterfront with postie Joyce being the Christmas fairy arriving on a boat and picked up by the RFS at the wharf. “Waterfront parties at night and I would open the shop at 2:00 am for drinks, ice cream and devon sandwiches….and regulars buying Bex or Vincent headache powders”. They were also the agents for the Bank of NSW, MBF and HCF, and the pickup box from Radford's chemists at Ettalong. Full newsagent selling the Telegraph, Herald, the Australian, Truth, and the afternoon papers (6 days per week). Occasionally getting into trouble from the mums for the “page 3 girls”. Ray also delivered the papers from Daleys Point to Bensville. The shop hadn't changed much in its lifetime with big wooden shelves, long timber counters and the best lolly selection in the area with freckles cobbers, milk bottles chocolate buddies and musk sticks always available. Ray believes he was the best maths teacher in the Bay educating the kids to count the lollies they could get for 5c. The deli counter with its cold meats, pies, fruit and veggies and a big bag of spuds, the haberdashery corner included zippers, buttons cotton reels alongside the fishing gear and bait.
By 1985, Ray and Margaret were enticed by the landlord down the road to close the waterfront store, and takeover the general store on the corner Sorrento & Kendall Road.
So, in 1985, the waterfront Empire Bay General Store closed. The large area inside the old shop becoming a great party area, and storeroom.
Ray and Margaret remained with the corner shop until 1996 when they sold and moved out of the Bay.
With the closing of the shop, and the Byrnes moving away, #12 Sorrento Road has been fully renovated with the shop and the home incorporated as one. But study closely and you can still see the shape of the 1928 “Davis & Settree Cash and Carry Store” looking back at you.
Source: Lands Department Records, Steve Ford, Gosford Council, Gosford Times, Ken Bergin, Ray & Margaret Byrnes.
Empire Bay waterfront general store, opened circa 1928 by Harry Davis, and his sister Olive Settree. Unknown locals in the photograph.
Ray & Margaret Byrnes, Empire Bay waterfront shop owners 1978 until they closed it 1981, and relocated to the general store, corner Sorrento & Kendall.
Robert Thompson