David Hughes had a year at university but his vocational education has been learning with a who’s who of the Hobart health food scene. In 1985 he started work at Prassad in Sandy Bay, then moved to Eumarrah in Sandy Bay, where he managed stock control, then he was at the Wholefood Nut in North Hobart before setting up his own Valley Healthfoods in Augusta Road, Lenah Valley in 1999.
“I’ve always had an interest in wholefood,†he said. “And I’ve always seen the potential for it – people always have to have food; it’s never going to be out of fashion.â€
In spite of his experience, opening his own shop meant learning a great deal fast. “I read about business, but for all your study, when you actually come to do business it’s a different world. It was a big jump from employee to owner,†he said.
Even in his limited leisure time David does not get far from food. The main gig for his rockabilly band Snapback is the Taste of Tasmania.
By the time he opened his shop David was married to Jacqui, who has also had a longtime interest in health foods. She creates recipes he gives to customers, but as the couple have three daughters under five, most of Jaqui’s time is spoken for.
Two years into the business, a car crashed through the front of the shop, which meant shutting down for two months while the building was repaired. “That’s the sort of thing you don’t factor into your business plan,†he said.
What had an even bigger impact though, was the start of seven-day trading for all retailers. “It affected people’s shopping habits quite dramatically,†said David. “Patterns went haywire, with people doing things on different days.â€
The move into Augusta Foodstore smoothed that out. “It has been a good marriage,†David said of combining his business with the Nikitaras family’s.
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