A HISTORIC Yeoval building has taken on a new role, with local collector Andrew Cooper continuing to preserve and transform one of the town’s older commercial spaces.
The former general merchant store now houses a diverse collection of antiques, military memorabilia, collectables, local goods and items gathered through years of trading and collecting.
For Mr Cooper, the building is both an opportunity and a significant undertaking.
After moving to the region from Sydney with his wife, Mr Cooper began building an online auction and collecting community, which eventually expanded into a physical space.
The move was prompted by a need for a more affordable lifestyle, with Mr Cooper taking on more responsibilities after the decline of his wife’s health.
Once settled in the area, his interest in collecting continued to grow.
“When I started collecting more and more, I needed somewhere to put everything,” Mr Cooper said.
What started as an online venture gradually became a place where people could visit, browse through collections and discover pieces of local and wider history.
The building itself has its own story to tell, with restoration work uncovering original signage that revealed its former life as a general merchant store.
The premises once served the needs of the local community, selling everything from tyres and oil through to clothing and groceries.
Over the years, the building has taken on different roles, including its association with newspaper services, before becoming the home of Mr Cooper’s collection.
Mr Cooper said restoring and maintaining a building of this age came with challenges, but he believed it was important to retain the character of the site.
“It wasn’t really designed as being a shop at all,” he said.
“It was an auction house originally. But then I thought, maybe Yeoval needs something where people can actually come and have a look.”
While the majority of the business remains online, the physical space has attracted visitors passing through Yeoval who are interested in antiques, history and unusual finds.
“I think towns like this have a lot of potential,” Mr Cooper said.
“They just need things that give people a reason to come.”
Mr Cooper hopes the building can eventually become more than just a storage and retail space, with ideas including auctions, displays of collectables, local products, visits from car and motorcycle clubs, and further restoration work.
However, bringing the historic property up to standard will require significant investment, with roof repairs and other maintenance needed to protect the building.
Mr Cooper said many people in Yeoval have memories connected to the old store, and he would like to see its history preserved.
“Lots of people have memories of this place,” he said.
“If we can keep it going, it would be amazing to see the whole place brought back to life.”