Next month, after 18 years serving the Camillo community, siblings Tam, Thuy and No Thai will close their beloved IGA for the last time.
When that day comes, it will be a bittersweet moment for Tam, who is very ready for a well-earned break.
“But the one thing that’s really sad about it all is that I won’t see my customers anymore,” he said.
Tam, Thuy and No have welcomed three generations of locals through their doors since they took over the premise in 2006/7.
“This place really has amazing customers – many who have become like family to us. Their children have worked with us,” Tam said.
The loss of this ‘family’ of customers around them will be a tough blow, said Tam, who was raised to put family above all else.
Tam and his many siblings escaped the Communist regime in Vietnam in clusters, when they were children.
A couple of older brothers and sisters made the first daring dash for freedom. But as punishment, their parents were jailed. Mercifully, his mother was released after a year and a bit, but his father spent nearly two decades inside for the ‘crime’ of aiding family members to flee abroad.
With no parents to watch over them, Tam and two of his other siblings were hurriedly smuggled out of the country when Tam was 10.
They arrived in Australia in 1982 and lived with their uncle in North Perth.
“We were all packed like sardines inside that house,” he said.
“I don’t remember too much about that time. But I remember missing my mum and dad.
“They sent us over to Australia so we could make a better life for ourselves. So, each of my brothers and sisters and I worked hard to honour that sacrifice. And we all made something of ourselves.”
With the kids all succeeding in life, they were eventually able to sponsor their mum and dad to come to Australia, reuniting the family after decades apart.
“This is a great country – as long as you put hard work in, you get results,” Tam said.
“I’m very grateful to the leaders of this country – they gave us a chance to accomplish things in life that we wouldn’t have had if we stayed in Vietnam. For us, it was like winning the lottery.”
When the opportunity to take over the lease of the IGA on Westfield Rd came up, Tam was working as a parts interpreter at Coventrys in Midland, Thuy was working in a fish factory, and No in a Centrelink office.
No one in the trio had any real retail experience, but one of their older brothers had a wealth of experience managing restaurants, delis, fruit and veg markets and supermarkets in Carlisle, East Victoria Park and Maitland.
The Westfield Road shopping centre (rebadged Champion Lakes Shopping Centre in 2016 after a redevelopment) had once been a thriving hub, as the only supermarket west of the train tracks. But by 2006, it had seen better days.
“Back then, it was really run down and we thought to ourselves, maybe we can build it up and make it work for us,” Tam said.
“We saw the potential in the business.”
So, the three siblings invested a good deal of time, effort and money into the refit of the store – shipping equipment over from Europe and gradually replacing all the refrigeration, shelving and lighting.
While the Thai family were extremely ‘tight’, Tam was still apprehensive about going into business with his sisters.
“You hear about when families go into business, and eventually become enemies. So, I was scared,” he said.
“But we quickly learned not to step on each other’s toes.
“It was a steep learning curve for us, and the beginning was a bit rocky. But then we found a rhythm.
“It all worked out and we had a lot of fun together.
“It’s been a very successful business, and since we took over, we never struggled – we have our customers to thank for that.
“And the experience has personally given me a lot – I’ve built confidence, especially in my communications and public speaking. I’m more or less a chatterbox now.”
While Thuy is thinking about early retirement, Tam will take a prolonged break before looking for another full-time job – preferably one with 9-5 hours.
“I’ve had a lot of offers to run other supermarkets, but I think my time is up in supermarkets,” he said. “I might go back to car parts – I liked the work. But really, I’m not fussy.”
Over the last few months, Tam said he’s had to console many of his regulars at the till after they learned the trio would be leaving.
“Many people cried when they heard we were no longer able to stay,” he said.
“And it really broke my heart to see.
“We have a lot of customers from Amana Living who look forward to their outings to the store – this shopping experience is like a treat for them.
“If we’re not here, I’m worried they won’t get out of the house much.”
He said the generosity of the local community has been heart-warming, with so many offering to help them, or bringing in presents for them.
“A lot of my customers, if I have a problem, they help me in a heartbeat. It’s just a great feeling,” Tam said.
But that relationship has always been reciprocal. Tam goes out of his way to make sure he stocks whatever his customers need from him.
“We can’t compete with the big boys on pricing,” he said. “But what we can do is serve them with a smile, and as an owner-operator I have the authority to get in whatever they need.”
After one of his customers requested camel milk, Tam searched high and low to find a supplier and then organised to get weekly deliveries for her, texting her the minute they arrived.
“I’ve tried to ring up other IGAs to see if they can now take over that for her,” he said.
Camillo local Pamela Noble said the extent of the Thai family’s care for their community shone through during COVID when they made a concerted effort to keep stock on shelves during shortages and also supplied a huge range of obscure products so that locals could have their creature comforts.
“They’ve certainly gone above and beyond what a normal business would do,” she said.
“And they’ve always been there and open for us, even on Christmas Day.
“It’s pretty clear that they care about us, and are not just using us to make money.
“This can be a challenging community, but they’ve always been accepting and treated people with dignity.
“They’re going to be missed like family members.”
It’s clear the feeling is mutual; Tam tears up as he remembers some of his dearest customers from Amana Living who have now passed.
“I love my customers,” he said.
“These small moments each day mean something. You never forget people that have made an impact on your life like that.
“For me, it’s never been about making money; it’s always been about being happy. If you do something you love, the money will come.
“You can be a millionaire, but if you walk out without good memories, what good is it? And I will leave with lots of good memories and no regrets.”
The business contract officially ends on May 15, and Tam said they will keep the doors open until then.
