Maloneys Grocers have been in Surry Hills for almost ten years, and in that time has become a feature of the Crown Street strip. Manager Chris Basnett says its all about the quality of the produce, and the community
Where else would you be able to buy special blends of muesli, made by artisans in Surry Hills? Or coffee blends produced right here in the 2010 postcode?
The answer to that is at Maloneys Grocers on Crown Street, one of three Maloneys outlets which call Sydney’s eastern suburbs home.
The story begins back in 2006 when Richard Maloney, his partner Jo Matthews and her brother Sebastian opened the first Maloneys in Coogee. Richard moved from the UK, where he was a supermarket veteran and had opened his own store.
On arrival in Australia he pursued his ambition to open a new grocery business, and saw a need for a particular kind of store in the eastern suburbs which catered to specialty tastes, and sourced the finest produce.
The Crown Street store has become a fixture in the area and a go to place to source quality produce which caters for fans of organic and vegan produce, and also home delivers to customers. The Maloneys website also offers recipes and meal suggestions.
Another UK arrival, Chris Basnett, is the manager at Crown Street and says he has come to know most of the customers, such is the loyalty of the regular clientele. The store philosophy is simple. Provide quality produce, source some great items from local producers, and make the store a nice environment where people enjoy browsing and shopping.
“Also our buyer makes three trips out to the wholesale markets each week, and he picks the produce he knows is the best,” says Basnett. “He has great relationships with the farmers and knows when a particular fruit or vegetable is at its best, and who is the best provider.
“So all the produce really is selected specifically for our stores, and with our Surry Hills customers in mind.”