Over the years, Armidale has experienced numerous major developments, when large sections of “the built landscape” have been demolished and replaced with some purpose-built massive edifices. Debate continues about whether it was “Progress” — but the raw fact is it happened. During the mid-1960s several prominent buildings on the western end of the CBD were demolished to make way for the first Woolworths’ store. One shop remained standing, and its story became popularly known as “Charlie’s Last Stand”.
But before we look at that, we’ll focus on the feedback from last week’s story, which was exceedingly popular, and brought to mind a lot of memories in many people. Readers confirmed that the Olympic Milk Bar (run by Charlie and Valentini Pavlou from 1957 to 1975), did stay open when there was a midnight show at the Capitol Theatre. At intermission the cinema patrons duly went across the road and bought their choc-coated ice-creams. Several prominent men said they claimed “the Fifth Amendment” when asked by their wives if they had ever gone up the lane for a wee.
And, the Kelly and Patricks’ Store is at 173 Brown Street, not 201, which was the store known as FN Patricks & Sons. The historic Kelly and Patricks’ Store has undergone extensive renovations, and for several weeks recently there were full-page ‘For Sale’ advertisements in the Armidale Independent. By popular demand, a history of the shop and its site will appear in this column next week.
Now to the main event. In 1967 the closest Woolworths’ stores to Armidale were two which had been recently built at West Tamworth and in Tamworth City. Many Armidale people wanted Woolworths to open a store in Armidale. Representatives from the head office in Sydney were in Armidale in May 1967 to further negotiations which began some months earlier. Original plans had included only a few buildings to be bought and demolished, but more were added. Woolworths then exercised options on the purchase of five buildings in the heart of the Armidale shopping centre.
Situated on the north-west corner of the block bounded by Beardy, Jessie, Rusden and Dangar Streets, the five buildings were the Empire Hotel (which incorporated two small shops owned by Mrs E Mitchell); the Blue Grotto Café (owned by Mr A Anastasopoulos); MA Murphy’s Millinery Shop; Smith’s Tyre Shop; the building formerly occupied by the Crown Bakery (originally the Olympic Hall in Jessie Street) and an adjacent cottage.
Representatives were also negotiating with Charlie Pavlou, owner of the Olympic Milk Bar in Beardy Street. Many versions of the story are still told in Armidale today. Some people say Charlie was simply not interested in selling his shop; some say that he would have sold if the price was right; and almost everyone says the price offered was too low for Charlie, and it was not increased, so negotiations ended. Meanwhile, in March 1966, Charlie and his family had moved out of the residence above his shop and into their new home in Kentucky Street.
Woolworths bought all the buildings and land surrounding the Olympic Milk Bar, including Smith’s Tyres on the corner of Beardy and Jessie Streets, and demolition of all those other buildings started. Roger Patricks very kindly gave me a photo of the demolition of the Empire Hotel. Tommy Nyhan is in the crane and Roger is helping. When all those buildings were demolished, it seemed Woolworths would build on both sides and at the rear of Charlie’s shop. Charlie still refused to sell despite the enormous pressure placed on him.
Within a short time Charlie’s was the only building standing in that part of the city. Persons unknown wrote in large letters on the western wall of the shop: “Charlie’s Last Stand”, and that became the name of the saga. A dramatised version of it was included in the annual UNE Prosh procession (when the students had a go at all and sundry). The local newspaper stated: “Charlie’s Last Stand provided local colour in Saturday’s Prosh. Whether Woolworths’ staff finally evicted Charlie from his premises was not clear.”
The Woolworths’ shop was duly built, but on only part of the available land. The corner block was sold off and other buildings were erected there. Charlie and his family left Armidale in April 1970 for a holiday overseas for four months to visit their families. Bill Michael and Chrysi Kyriacou looked after the shop. When Charlie returned home he arranged for his premises to be replaced — the old place was knocked down in April 1972, and a new one was built. It was opened on August 15, 1972 as two separate shops downstairs, and above them were two residential units. Charlie and Valentini ran their new Olympic Milk Bar for three years before renting out the business. By then Charlie was unwell and needed heart surgery, which he had in December 1975 at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.
In September 1976, Charlie and Valentini bought and ran the shop on the south-east corner of Beardy and Markham Streets until selling it in 1990. Many people will remember that shop (next to the Technical College) as Porter’s Corner. It was demolished in the last few weeks.
Charlie and Valentini retired on September 8, 1990, and moved to Sydney in January 1993. It is appropriate to record a few of Charlie’s other activities in Armidale. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge for about 40 years, having joined around 1964. A member of the Armidale Bowling Club from 1968 to 1993, he travelled to Sydney and regional NSW, playing in competitions, and later played for the South Sydney Bowling Club until he had a kidney removed in 2000.
Always an exceptionally generous and kind man with a big heart, Charlie would often allow some customers to put goods on credit, knowing that they would never pay him, but he wanted to make sure they always had food for their families. As many of us remember, children were often given free lollies, chocolates and ice creams.
The Greek community in Armidale used to meet every month at the CWA Hall for a party until Legacy Hall was built. The Greeks would meet weekly at each other’s homes, where the women made handicrafts and men socialised and played cards. Although most of the Greeks had left Armidale by the late 1990s all have remained extremely close and keep in contact.
Not a day goes by without Charlie and Valentini Pavlou reflecting on the wonderful life they had in Armidale, and they are forever in debt to the community for giving them the best and happiest years of their lives. They have been married for 57 years. Their daughter, Maria, has been most helpful with this story.
