Celia's Store (1988-1989)

H&a eppie 11 screenshot 2 — Ailsa serves Donald Fisher

Celia's Store was first seen in the pilot episode in 1988. It was originally called Hogan's General Store and was run by Ailsa Hogan/Stewart. She later sold it to her sister-in-law Celia Stewart who renamed it. The store was destroyed in April 1989 when it was firebombed by Dodge.

1988-1989[]

Hogan's General Store Exterior - Episode 85 — Hogan's General Store

In January 1988, Ailsa Hogan owned and ran the store. She lived in the annexe behind it. The store also had a small cafe which sold drinks and snacks, and a pinball machine. Ailsa moved out of the flat after she married Alf Stewart and rented it out. Its first tenants were Frank Morgan, Narelle Smart and Martin Dibble. Later on, Philip Matheson and Bobby Simpson moved in, though not at the same time lol. Ailsa sold the store to Celia Stewart later in 1988 and it became Celia's Store.

In 1989 the shop was burned to the ground when Dodge threw a petrol bomb through the front door. Philip Matheson, uncle of Steven, was asleep in the flat at the time and he was killed in the blaze. When the insurance money came in, Celia went into business with her brother Alf, who owned a bait shop. They established a new, larger shop.

Memorable info[]

The building used for the exterior shots of the store was an actual shop, albeit one that had been derelict since the early 1970s. Its interior can be seen in the pilot episode but after that, they used a studio set.
The shop was known in real life as Beacon Stores and originally served a campsite in the area. It was demolished in 1989 by the local council. By then, the producers of Home and Away had destroyed the store onscreen (an agreement made with the council in order to write it out of the show)^[1]. There is no trace of the shop now.
In the late 1930s, the building was used as a base for what would become the North Palm Beach Surf Club. The club was re-established after WWII and set up again nearby. Since 1989, the exterior of the club's building has doubled for the Summer Bay Surf Club.