Established by the Lovell family, the business has grown and adapted to meet the challenges of an evolving industry while remaining firmly rooted in the community.
Gary Lovell, who co-owns and runs the newsagency with his sister Louise Lovell-Brown, shared how the family came to Shepparton.
“We had a newsagency in West Newport,” he said.
“Mum and Dad did it for eight years, and when I was leaving school, were looking for a bigger one to go into the business with Mum and Dad.
“We looked at a few.
“We looked at one in Queensland, one in Moe and this one here in Shepparton.
“Dad and I wanted the Queensland one, as he took the whole family up there for a holiday.
“When we got back to Melbourne, Mum didn’t want to move that far away from her relations in Melbourne.
“So, we decided on the Shepparton one, and we bought the Shepparton store.”
The business expanded over the years to include ventures such as a toy store, video shop and travel agency, but its Wyndham St location has always been its heart.
From its early days, Lovell’s Newsagency relied on paperboys to deliver newspapers across Shepparton.
“We used to have 28 afternoon boys and 32 morning delivery boys,” Gary said.
The decline of the paperboy began in the mid-1980s when new regulations restricting children from working before sunrise or after dark were introduced.
While this change had children’s rights at its heart, it marked the end of an era.
Paperboys were not just delivery workers; they were often the first point of contact between newsagencies and their customers, building relationships that contributed to the community feel of local businesses.
These young workers rode their bikes through neighbourhoods and even visited pubs and local businesses to distribute the latest editions.
The shift was significant for the business, which had to adapt by transitioning to adults to deliver the papers to remain viable.
“We used to have a lot of kids work here over the years, doing deliveries,” he said.
“They still come back in and they go, ‘Do you remember me?’
“You know, years later — kids who grew up, with their own kids.”
Despite the industry challenges faced by newsagencies around the country, including rising costs and the decline of print media, the Lovells continue to serve their loyal customers.
Their dedication has not gone unnoticed, with Lovell’s Newsagency being recognised over the years for its contributions to the industry.
The co-owners earned multiple awards, including the Herald & Weekly Times Commitment to Excellence Award in 1996, the SPC Business Excellence Award and induction into the Greater Shepparton Business Network Hall of Fame in 2008, and the Lottery Newsagent of the Year award for 2021 at the Victorian Association for Newsagents gala.
The awards and milestones achieved by the newsagency reflect its long history and commitment to serving the community.
Christine Egan, one of Lovell’s earliest employees, has been with the newsagency for nearly its entire 50-year history.
“Christine left a couple of times to have her babies but always came back,” Gary said.
As the newsagency marks its golden anniversary, Louise spoke about the milestone.
“We came to Shepparton, took over the newsagency, and we’re still here, still doing the same thing, still providing the same good service,” she said.
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