Newsagency changes hands: Lotto dreaming sparks swap
It was a $40 million Lotto Superdraw that sparked the idea of a business change for Maddie O’Leary. Now she owns the local newsagency.
After 11 years behind the counter, NewsXPress Yandina’s Keith Harm handed over the reins to Maddie O’Leary on June 5.
Locals will know Maddie from Champagne Lou Lou, the business she has operated from Stevens Street for many years.
“I have always wanted to run a successful business and Champagne Lou Lou has been a wonderful way to get my toes wet,” Maddie said. “It has given me a pretty solid understanding of merchandising and I think I had arrived at a point where I had learned enough to move on to the next place.”
Ironically, it was while she was watching the $40 million Lotto Superdraw that Maddie had the notion to start thinking about another business.
“I said to my friend, ‘OK, if I win $40 million tonight, what am I going to spend it on?’,” she laughed.
“Then I started to look for businesses for sale in Yandina and this one came up. The people at Lotto love this story!”
Keith had moved the business to its current location in Farrell Street, after trading from Steven Street for nine and a half years.
“I am so grateful that Keith had the foresight to make the move because I feel that the business is really perfectly positioned, for a newsagency,” Maddie said.
“There is plenty of parking and we are right in a very busy section of town. The shop itself is so fresh and light and the aspect is really fabulous.”
Maddie hit the ground running in the new venture and now feels confidently up to speed.
“I haven’t really stopped and I am really fortunate to have some great support around me to help me get going,” she said.
“Now I can start to dabble and bring in new stock.”
Maddie plans to bring in some of the clothing and accessories from Champagne Lou Lou, as well as silver jewellery, homewares and giftware.
“I think one of the things I am enjoying the most about this business is the variety of people I am interacting with now,” Maddie said.
“Every day I am dealing with people aged between 1 and 100, from all walks of life. I am meeting new people in town all the time and it is exciting how rewarding this is proving to be.”