Stonemans Village IGA will take over Shop 1 and 11 at Strath Village after signing a letter of intent to develop the stores.

Development will include a complete revamp of the two stores with local commercial building company Fawcett O'Toole to complete major works.

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Strath Village Owners Corporation Committee chairperson Kim Greenwell said it was a pleasure to put rumours to rest about the two spaces. She said the supermarket was what was needed in the shopping centre.

"It's exciting to have another major drawcard in the shopping centre," she said. "It's something everyone can access - everyone eats food.

"It's sad that (the stores) haven't been filled for so long but I truly believe this is the right business and tenant to come and make it work."

Mrs Greenwell said the supermarket was what was needed in the shopping centre.

"It's exciting to have another major drawcard in the shopping centre," she said. "It's something everyone can access - everyone eats food.

"It's sad that (the stores) haven't been filled for so long but I truly believe this is the right business and tenant to come and make it work."

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Stonemans Village IGA owner-director Steve Jones said he decided to take up the venture when he turned to Bendigo and saw the previous IGA had closed.

"Having lived in Bendigo for many decades, it seemed sad to see something quite good being closed," he said. "One thing lead to another and we looked at opportunities for the shopkeepers in there to have an anchor tenant to help them along.

"We're a family who has been in the grocery industry a long time and want to contribute.

"We're a little guy in comparison to the big Goliaths around, but what we make goes back to the town."

Mr Jones said he hoped to open the doors to Stonemans Village IGA in four to five months.

"It's dependent on wanting to open right," he said. "It will be a fully refurbished, quality, state-of-the-art supermarket. You get one chance to do it right.

"From the ground up we are expecting to employ 60 to 80 people. When you look at it we are a local family in a local business, supported local growers and manufacturers. I think generally most people, certainly country people, enjoy folk supporting their own."

Owner-general manager Mathew Jones said in the letter the IGA store his family would focus on fresh local produce, local employment and great service.

The Strath Village Supa IGA closed in August, 2019.

The Supreme Court later appointed a liquidator for the company behind Strath Village IGA, after ordering it be wound up in insolvency.

Since then the store has been vacant.

"We lost a lot of people (when the last IGA closed) because it was one of the main shopping areas and (some) people wanted to shop locally and not use a major chain," Mrs Greenwell said.

"I know I started shopping at Strathfieldsaye IGA to support local people. Hopefully this (new IGA) brings them back in to the shopping centre."

Mrs Greenwell said securing a new business for Strath Village has been a long time coming.

"(It) is something the Owners Corporation Committee is incredibly excited about," she said.

"We wish (the Jones family) all the success that comes with local friendly service and fresh produce."

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