A horse and cart outside the Hazeltons store, which Diane believes was likely within the first year or two of business, with her grandfather and great-grandfather. Photo: Shellharbour City Museum.
It was started in 1915 as a general store, but Hazeltons has become more than another business to the Albion Park community – often being its lifeline when times were tough.
Diane Hazelton is the fourth generation of the family to work in the store, alongside her father Bob Hazelton, who’s showing no signs of retiring.
“My dad Bob, who is now 86, still plays a very active role and works six days a week … he’s such a beautiful man, a true gentleman,” Diane said.
“I manage our uniform and clothing store and have done so since the death of my grandmother in 1989.”
She said the business was built on the values of serving, and for the earlier generations, that could mean extreme sacrifices for the sake of others.
Residents recall tales of Diane’s grandfather Robert (known as Tim) helping out farmers during the Depression.
“We found out after he died that he’d actually mortgaged the house several times as well, which my grandmother probably would have had a pink fit if she’d known,” Diane said.
“He really wanted to make sure that everyone was looked after. He had a very generous spirit.
“I never knew him, but I still have people coming into work saying things that he’d done for them.
“There was one lady who said she’d just had a baby and they had no heating, and they didn’t have any money.
“So, my grandfather said, ‘No, it’s all right. Just book it up. You pay it off $5 a week. You’ve got to keep your baby warm’.”
Diane said most residents in the area had accounts with the store at some time and her family would prop them up during periods of hardship.
“My grandparents were very much community-minded people and believed that we were in business to serve, and provide products that customers needed at the best price possible,” she said.
“It’s with these lessons that I operate today.
“I’m very much customer-focused and wish to provide the same old-fashioned service from yesteryear in a fast-paced world – a point of difference from some competitors.”
Diane said the store had evolved throughout its history, having started as a general store by her great-grandfather Edward Hazelton in 1915 selling all manner of stock.
She said he was previously a health inspector in Sydney, before working at the butter factory at Tongarra.
“The butter factory closed down, and so that was when he started up the business, across the road from where we are today, in an old-fashioned corner shop with the Bushells Tea signs on the side of it,” she said.
“He bought back the Major’s cottage from the butter factory into town, piece by piece, and rebuilt it across the road.
“It was only pulled down about 10 or 15 years ago.”
Diane said the store evolved into a grocery and hardware store, with her grandparents and dad selling groceries from Albion Park to Oak Flats.
“They used to go around and collect the grocery orders every morning,” she said.
“My dad said he used to go to the houses, sit down and work through their order with them, and then loaded a semi-trailer up with groceries and then do the deliveries in the afternoon.
“It was a really big business from what I can gather, and had a lot of staff.”
By the mid-’60s, the business had reverted to self-service.
“A lot of them weren’t happy about that – they wanted to still have home delivery,” Diane said.
“It’s funny how things go full circle because now everyone wants to do internet shopping with home delivery.”
She said before selling out of the grocery store in the early ’70s, they started a clothing store in the ’60s, run by her auntie.
“I think it initially started off as a shoe shop, and then they added more things as time went on,” she said.
By the time Diane joined the clothing store in 1987, it was selling everything from underwear to baby clothing and schoolwear, with work and schoolwear now a primary focus.
She said her father still worked full time in the hardware side of the business.
“I think it’s keeping his brain active,” she said of him not retiring.
“He loves his customers and he’s obviously got a really good rapport with them.
“He feels a need to serve. His work has been his whole life because he grew up in the business.
“I’m actually really proud of him and the way he’s always handled himself.
“He’s someone that I do really look up to.”
It’s also all Diane has known, admitting to often having escaped down the road to the shop as a child when her mother was distracted with other things at home.
“It’s something I always wanted to do. I always wanted to help out in the business,” she said.
As a result, she has now seen three generations of family come through for school uniform fittings.
“It occurred to me that we’re probably one of the first places people come when they move to town because they need to get their uniforms, so we’re often their first impression of the town,” she said.
“My mum also started helping me in the business when I had my children, so she has helped out when I haven’t been able to work. I’m grateful for her support.”
Hazeltons Clothing and Uniforms is at 115 Tongarra Rd, Albion Park.
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