For sale: Bendemeer couple who saved general store, ready to pass on the keys

Denise and Nigel Skewes are preparing to embark on a new kind of adventure, and have put the building on the market 18 months after reopening the business.

Denise said they lived next door at the former butcher shop turned residence, and when they bought the heritage building, it was a bit of a mess.

"The gardens had grown wild, and the floor was lifting," Denise said.

"The kitchen was leased out to a lady in Bendemeer here, and I think the owner just wanted to sell it and move on."

So the husband-and-wife team rolled up their sleeves and restored the business.

The couple said their family and the Bendemeer community ended up pitching in.

"We had Nigel's sister paint it," said Denise.

"We used whoever we could find. I had a friend who was a good electrician, a lot of locals got in and helped us fix it up," Nigel said.

Despite a challenge or two, the business reopened, and when word spread throughout the North West, it helped to revitalise the community.

The building holds a great deal of importance to the village community.

It has been a meeting place, cafe and shop for locals since 1872.

Growing up in town, Nigel remembers popping into the general store, and he knew all the previous owners.

But most of all, they love seeing their regulars walk through the doors every morning.

"We got all our locals who pop in and have a coffee every morning," Nigel said.

Since reopening and operating the business, the couple feels like they have done what they set out to do.

"We realised that time, which we have, is special," Denise said.

"So, we are going to get out and have a look around Australia. We will hopefully get a campervan to do a bit of tripping."

When the building is sold, they hope the new owner will give it as much love as they have.

"It could be turned into a BNB, a gift shop, or a whole range of things as long as they bring a lot of love to it," Nigel said.

"And the community will look after the new owner," Denise said.