It’s been part of the Parkes business landscape for 55 years, but Furniture One’s owners Johan and Karen Creith have decided it’s time to retire and close down the store.

A massive celebration/closing down sale starts today with 25% -75% off storewide. All rugs, giftware, cushions and artworks are 50% off, while a power recliner is selling for as little as $599! “We will stay open until the stock has been sold, but our aim is to hopefully wrap it up by Easter,” said Karen.

“The sale is also our way of saying thank you to the public for their support and patronage of our second-generation business over the last 55 years. We want them to know that we will miss all our customers but are very excited for the next chapter in our lives.”

Karen said she would love for people to come to the sale not only to perhaps buy something, but also to reminisce and say goodbye.

Furniture One was started by John’s parents, Jim and Inez Creith in the bottleshop of the Parkes Cambridge Hotel in August 1966.

As the business grew it moved to 141 Clarinda Street in 1968. In 1976 the property was modernised and renovated and operated from this location for well over 38 years until its last move to its final home in Saleyards Road.

Jim’s sons John and Peter took over the reins of the family business during the 1990s with Peter only leaving the business six years ago. This left John and Karen at the helm.

John, Karen and Peter were instrumental in building the current home of Parkes Furniture One over 17 years ago with its grand opening sale launched on the 9th of July 2005.

This modern store has been regarded as the flagship store of the Furniture One buying group due to its impressive displays and merchandising of products done by Karen as the instore stylist.

The store has employed many people over the years from Jim’s mother, Maggie as the original bookkeeper to eventually handing the role over to her other son John, to Leigh Somers working in admin and eventually Jim’s two sons, John and Peter taking over as managers.

Lots of employees have remained as dear family friends while many young nephews spent time in the delivery truck during school holidays. John and Karen’s children played many roles from childhood radio stars doing ads for the fee of a lunchtime treat at KFC to Jack featuring on TV commercials.

“We have been blessed to have had the opportunity to have such a long lasting and positive relationship with the community and have developed such special relationships with many of our customers whom we now consider more as friends,” said Karen.

By Maggi Barnard

 

The Designer of the Phoenix newspapers celebrated a momentous milestone this week reaching her 1,000th edition in eight years.

Lisa Brien designed her very first edition, Issue 271 of the Canowindra Phoenix, on 21st November 2013, and with this week’s Parkes Phoenix Issue 290 she clocked up 1,000 editions of doing all the advertising and layout design.

She was there for the first edition of the Forbes Phoenix on 3rd July 2015, and the first edition of the Parkes Phoenix on 11th March 2016. To date she has done 392 issues of the Canowindra Phoenix, 318 issues of the Forbes Phoenix and 290 issues of the Parkes Phoenix.

“No two weeks are the same and no two papers are the same,” said Lisa. “I enjoy the challenge that each week brings. It is like putting together a big puzzle that is continuously evolving, and trying to get all of the pieces to fit together to create a visually appealing, balanced publication.”

Lisa says the trickiest part of her job is managing the hundreds of emails she receives every day from three editors and three sales managers. “I have to be super organised and am fanatical about my colour coded flag system and folders.”

Over the past eight years Lisa has worked for three different owners of the papers. She started with Cheryl Newsom, then Sarah Maynard from January 2017 and the current owner Joshua Matic took over in October 2019.

She has seen how the papers reflect the state of the local communities, especially during the drought years when the papers were at their leanest with only eight pages each. “We celebrate the boom times and also suffer with the community through hardships.”

Lisa discovered the beauty of technology early on as it allows her to work remotely.

She has designed issues of the Phoenix from all over the country – from a beach at Batemans Bay, NSW to one in Hervey Bay, Queensland. “The most remote place I have designed a paper is sitting in a paddock on a cattle property near Roma in Queensland! It was the only place where I could hotspot my phone to get an internet connection. I have even pulled over on the side of the highway while driving to Canberra to make last minute changes on the morning of print.”

Cheers to Lisa and another 1,000 editions!

Michael Hanley’s Funeral Home, a professional, family-owned business with over 46 years of experience, has been offering its services in Parkes, Forbes and surrounding districts since 1975.

“Of the many funerals our family-owned business does per year, a percentage of them are out of town,” says Tami Stewart.

Another service Michael Hanley’s Funeral Home offers is the option for clients to arrange their funeral and have it all ready for when anything happens. “You can come in and arrange everything or you can go on our website and complete the information that need to be known when you die.

You choose your songs, flowers and even the clothes you would like to be buried in. It makes it so much easier on your family,” says Tami.

Michael Hanley’s Funeral Home conduct funerals, graveside services and cremations. Cremation services can be held in our chapel in Forbes where the crematorium is located.

Funeral prices start from $4,598. Give Michael Hanley’s Funeral Home a call on 6852 1961 or send us a message to hanleyfunerals.com.au

With bumper crops on the horizon for much of the state, landholders are urged to be on the lookout for locust activity this spring and report any sightings immediately.

Adult plague locusts usually lay eggs in harder loamy red soils, especially on compact roads next to crops, tree lines and farm buildings, especially those built on higher ground such as ridges.

NSW Plague Locust Commissioner Scott Charlton said while fewer reports of locusts had been received than in previous years, landholders west of the ranges should still be vigilant and expect sporadic outbreaks.

“We are still encouraging landowners in the upper Western and far Northwest to monitor for any activity, as this will help control teams with their response efforts and limit further spread of locusts.

“Locust hatching is still expected in the northwest of the state throughout September as temperatures increase, while outbreaks throughout the lower western Riv-erina may not occur until October.

“On-ground treatment by landholders is by far the most effective treatment option and will help limit new swarms.”

If you suspect Australian Plague Locusts, contact your nearest LLS office on 1300 795 299. To find out more visit NSW DPI and LLS websites.

Apart from the new exhibition on the Parkes Aquatic Centre, the Henry Parkes Museum has updates and additions to other displays too. If you want to brush up on your local knowledge of the gold mining history of Parkes, the mining exhibition has been changed and updated and includes some very interesting artefacts and maps of all the mines in and around our town. The Emmanuel Brothers display has been upgraded with a tribute to Phil, and the special Olympic display will be there until the end of the month when the Paralympics ends.

The construction of a new grandstand at Spicer Oval was approved at the Parkes Shire Council meeting of last week.

The grandstand building will be used for a range of community-based activities, and to provide amenities for events such as the annual Parkes Elvis Festival. The development includes the construction of a 540m² building comprising a clubroom, canteen and bar, amenities, office and four change rooms. The building also provides five rows of tiered seating for spectating events covered by a skillion roof.