One of the Adelaide Central Market’s oldest stalls has been inducted into The City Awards Hall of Fame.
Continental smallgoods retailer, Con’s Fine Foods, was among 12 businesses recognised in the annual awards — jointly run by The Advertiser and Adelaide City Council.
In a Facebook post, the business thanked their customers for the “bloody beautiful” win.
“Thank you to every single one of you legends who voted for us but more importantly, for everyone who has supported us: our family, our friends, our fellow Market Traders – THIS. IS. HUGE!” the post stated.
Speaking to The Advertiser, long-serving Con’s Fine Foods manager Alex Savvas, 53, added that it was an honour for the stall – opened by his father, Con, in 1959 – to be named in the awards.
Alex, who started working at the market when he was 17, said Con’s was built on a philosophy of always putting its customers first.
“It’s about personal service, not just customer service,” Alex said.
“You have got to get to know your customers and treat them like your friends. You also must always have a good quality product for them every time they come back.”
Mr Savvas said he enjoyed working at the market, where he regarded many other stallholders like his family.
“Every morning about 10 to 15 of us get together, have a coffee, a laugh and chew the fat, then we get to work,” he said.
“That’s what makes this place unique. We all want shopping here to be an experience, where people come, have something to eat, get what they need.
“We don’t want it to be like a supermarket where you go in, buy your stuff and walk out. We want our customers to become our friends, our family.”
Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor congratulated all award winners and finalists, who were chosen from a record 224 nominations.
“These awards recognise the extraordinary businesses that make our city unique, many of which have done it so tough this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
Other winners included Coffylosophy (Best Coffee), Da Gianni Barbers (Best Hair & Beauty) and El Cheeky Flamingo (Best Small Bar).
