STRATH Village businesses are hopeful the centre will attract a supermarket after German operator Kaufland cancelled plans for a supersize Bendigo store nearby.
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Traders said low foot traffic has affected business after the centre's Supa IGA closed in August.
That pressure has already proved too much for one prominent business in the centre.
The Meat Master shut on Friday, with owner Brian Wiegard citing a drop in passing trade of about 50 per cent.
Read more: Kaufland withdraws Bendigo supermarket plans
Other Strath Village businesses were positive about the future, after Kaufland supermarket cancelled its plans for a Bendigo store.
Many hope it will encourage a supermarket to move into the former Supa IGA storefront.
I just couldn't keep going, I'm going under.
- Brian Wiegard
But the development came too late for the Meat Master.
Mr Wiegard said since the IGA closed there was no passing trade.
"There's not many people coming in here anymore and it's affected all the businesses here very badly," he said.
"We used to get a lot of people coming in here in the afternoon. We don't get that anymore, people would get their alcohol and their groceries, and I'd get them going past. That doesn't happen.
"I just couldn't keep going, I'm going under."
Read more: Strath Village IGA wound up in insolvency
But Mr Wiegard said Kaufland's departure from the Kennington scene would help "enormously" with Strath Village's prospects of attracting a supermarket.
Unfortunately it was just too late for his business.
Inspired by Fashion manager and buyer Mary Lindsay said Kaufland's withdrawal would hopefully mean a supermarket came into the former-IGA store.
Mrs Lindsay said trade had slowed but the store had been fortunate to have loyal customers.
"The afternoon is the main difference. People would come in, get something for dinner, and they no longer do," she said.
Mrs Lindsay said this meant a downturn equivalent to about a quarter of takings.
Love a Latte owner Tim Carnell said it was good for Strath Village that Kaufland was not going ahead, because was a roadblock to other supermarket developments.
He said someone would hopefully move into the empty IGA space.
Mr Carnell also owns Inspired by Fashion.
He said that some businesses were not doing well since the IGA closed.
"It's the afternoon trade. Mornings we're still busy like we always have been, but come one o'clock... it just dies," he said.
"There is a need for a supermarket within this centre. A lot of the clientele here are elderly, they don't want to compete with everybody in Woolies, it's mad around there.
"I'm sure that if a supermarket went in there, it would do quite well."
At Strath Village Flowers Alison Symons said Kaufland withdrawing from the field was probably great for the centre, as a supermarket might come back.
She said foot traffic had definitely dropped, especially during the afternoons.
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