Community & Business
17 December, 2021
New owners of Kairi Store call Tablelands home
WAYNE and Annmarie Phillips along with their son Casey have recently taken ownership of the Kairi Store, exchanging the hustle and bustle of Townsville for the rolling green hills of the Tablelands.
The small, close knit Kairi community has already welcomed the new owners of their small corner store and fuel station with some even baking home made cookies as a welcome gift.
The young family is originally from Townsville but have decided to get away from the city scene and settle for a quieter backdrop.
“We’ve always liked the Tablelands and we didn’t want to move or do anything until the young bloke finished grade 12,” Wayne said.
“We started looking around and it was simpler for us to try and source out a business to buy – this one came up and it was just perfect, it was the lifestyle change we were looking for.
“Townsville is hustle and bustle, it’s very fast paced, people are going 100 mile an hour no matter what they’re doing… it’s a much slower pace and relaxed atmosphere here, people are a lot friendlier.”
Wayne has an extensive career and portfolio specialising in business management across Far North Queensland from Cairns to Townsville.
The family has often holidayed up on the Tablelands and many of their friends have lived here for years while Annmarie was only born a couple hours south.
“I grew up in Innisfail so as a youngster we would come up (to the Tablelands) for Sunday drives and things like that,” she said.
After taken ownership of the store on the 22 November, Wayne and Annmarie have enjoyed their time running the store, being welcomed with open arms by the town’s locals.
