OUR HISTORY

The Klose’s story started in 1902 when Charlie Klose opened a grocery, drapery, hardware and fodder store in Lobethal.

During the Depression years Charlie’s son Reg ran a hawker’s van selling drapery and other goods to farmers and outlying towns. In the late 1930s he opened a store in Birdwood, then in 1949 opened a second store in Mt Pleasant.

In 1955 Reg opened a new self-serve grocery store in Birdwood. Seven years later with the help of his sons Graham and Barry the Klose’s expanded by purchasing a run-down store in Lobethal and converting it to a self-serve operation.

After some years of consolidation, Reg and his son Barry focused their retail energies on Lobethal, building a new supermarket in the Main Street in 1980. Since then the business has grown to include supermarkets in Woodside, Balhannah and Littlehampton.

In 2018, Klose’s restored a piece of its history by purchasing a store in the township of Birdwood, returning to that community after 48 years.

Early in 2020, we built and opened a new and improved store in Woodside, featuring a much larger Foodland, and our first ever Cellarbrations store. Later in 2020 we opened our sixth Adelaide Hills store along with our second Cellarbrations store in Nairne.

Klose’s gives back to the community every year through its generous sponsorship and community giving scheme, which supports local sporting clubs, schools, community and service groups, and the arts.

For well over 100 years, and now in its fourth generation, Klose’s is still committed to providing a convenient, high quality service to the Adelaide Hills community.