The Salinger’s Cafe Building History

The Salinger’s Cafe building has a long history in Great Western, with Emmanuel Salinger building the original wooden General Store on the site in 1862. In 1899 the original wooden building, known as The Hermitage, was moved back to make way for a new brick General Store and residence. In November 1899, Mr Salinger opened the store and partnered with a Stawell decorator to create the beautiful signage out the front of the store. Two wooden rooms were later added by Mr Charles Bullock to be used as storerooms.  Mr Salinger was a member of one of the original vine growing families in Great Western in the 1880’s. His daughter, Elena later went on to marry Charles Pierlot, a famous Champagne maker employed by Hans Irvine who once owned the Seppelt Winery.  Mr. Emmanuel Salinger died in 1911 and his two daughters Maud & Henrietta ran the business and their brother, Henry, carted goods around town. The store used to sell groceries, drapery, shoes, boots, fancy goods and stationery. The Salinger family owned the business for 78 years and sold it in 1940 to the Puls family. In the 1980s the store was a haberdashery, selling sewing items and fabric. Today the building is home to the thriving Salinger’s Cafe, serving delicious gourmet meals, excellent coffee and a variety of sweet treats. The exposed brick walls and polished wooden floors give the cafe a warm ambience, which is made all the more so by the delicious coffee and meals. Along with its cozy atmosphere, Salingers Cafe offers an all-day breakfast menu, a fresh and tasty lunch menu, as well as an extensive beer and wine list, which features many wineries from the local region. So next time you are in the Grampians region, come and check out this iconic building, rich in beauty and history.