24 Absolon Street

Dumbleyung WA 6350

History of the Building:
The first Malcolm and Co had always played a significant part in the lives of the settlers in the Nippering- Dumbleyung area since arriving from Perth in 1909 and buying the Dumbleyung and Nippering stores from CA Piesse and Sons. The stores were one stop shops, selling grocery items, machinery, clothing, furniture, hardware, building materials, fertilizers and seeds. The Nippering store housed the first telephone in that area. (It is uncertain when the Nippering store closed but it was no longer in evidence after 1915. It is known that it was relocated to become Malcolm's Store in Lake Grace)

In 1910 Mr Malcolm called tenders and built a large and commodious store in Dumbleyung, the first building to be erected on the Dumbleyung town site. It was situated close to the post office and opposite the railway station in Absolon Street. A manager and two assistants worked in the shop. These three staff 'Honest John' Mitchell, Mr Woods and Mr Barnard stayed employed by Malcolm for 18 years.
Mr Malcolm died in 1930 and was buried on Saturday 30 August. Out of respect for his contribution to Dumbleyung, all the shops closed their doors and the Dumbleyung football team chose not to play in the District Grand Final (which they were expected to win) on that day.

Over the years, the building has hosted many different owners and new extensions. Businesses which have operated out of the shop include John Mitchell with a grocery store which was purchased by John Stone in 1950; Bill Dawson's machinery business; Les Kellow's electrical shop and the RTC store. The extension on the west side used to be Groom Bros Elder's Agents premises back in 1930.