Local History with Betty Laver – Friends Department Store

The business section of the town moved away from the waterfront following the building of four hotels – the Grand, the Royal and the Queens in Goondoon Street and the Young Australian in Auckland Street. Friends Victoria Store had served the public on these premises for almost 40 years. The brothers purchased a site in Goondoon Street in 1892 (where the town arcade now stands) building a new store and retaining the old premises at Auckland Creek as bulk stores. They had the satisfaction of seeing their firm make rapid progress and outstrip the other firms.