AFTER 21 years in Echuca, Amcal pharmacy owners Con and Kathy Kostoglou are still dreaming of a brighter future — for their business and the community.
They're not drifting off easily into the gentle sunset of retirement either. Quite the opposite.
The coronavirus pandemic has them working harder than ever and planning for a better future.
“I’m turning 50 in December, and I kind of feel Con and I are in the best position we’ve ever been in,” Kathy said.
Con and Kathy moved from Melbourne to Echuca in 1999 with their two young sons, Elias and Evan.
“We moved from Melbourne to give our family a country and community lifestyle,” Kathy said.
“We didn’t feel we were cut out for city life; long working hours and too much time spent on the road commuting from A to B.
“When we looked to pick a country town, Echuca ticked all of the boxes.”
Their sons went to 208 Primary School and St Joseph’s College, and eventually Elias moved to Bendigo to study pharmacy, following in his father's footsteps, while Evan moved to Melbourne to study business management.
Both returned to Echuca and are actively involved in the business.
Elias, 28, now manages the pharmacy, and is married to Hannah with two children, Kyah and Kaleb, living in Echuca.
Evan, 25, also lives locally with partner Louise and helps with the logistics and business side of things.
Con started with two business partners, Robert Symons and Shane Weller.
Robert and Shane had just finished building Rich River Medical Centre and also had Echuca Amcal Pharmacy at 222 Hare St, Echuca.
The trio then bought Hart’s Pharmacy and amalgamated it into their stores, with Shane resigning from the partnership in 2001.
Con and Robert then moved the 222 Hare St Pharmacy to Echuca Square Pharmacy, relocating their photography lab from Amcal to Echuca Square.
At the time, Amcal had St George Bank and Medibank Private services within its store.
Through a series of partnerships, the Nathalia Pharmacy was purchased — making it four pharmacies in the group.
Kathy said Amcal had a "massive" renovation — adding a bulk-billing medical centre, the only one in town, giving people seven-days-a-week access while minimising hospital pressure.
“Eventually in 2015, the partnership was dissolved and we kept the Echuca Amcal Pharmacy and Echuca Square store which was moved to the previous Dick Smith site and renovated to Priceline Pharmacy,” she said.
Over the years, husband and wife said they have had many business partnerships, each with their distinct advantages and disadvantages.
“The journey has been interesting,” Kathy said.
“As a family we have been through some tough times but have managed to always come out better on the other side.
“When there's darkness, there'll always be light, and where there's hurricanes, there'll be sunshine and rainbows.
“COVID-19 gave us the opportunity to keep everyone safe and focus on our community, and it’s honestly been the best thing that’s ever happened.
“We’ve never been closer.”
Along with maintaining their businesses in Echuca — Amcal and Priceline — Kostoglous said there were a number of projects they were hoping to launch in the near future.
“Our biggest goal is to build a house in Echuca to assist people who need help with mental health,” Kathy said.
“We also don’t have a homeless place here; if you’re homeless in Echuca and Moama, it's really difficult.”
And now after 21 years servicing the Echuca-Moama community, they've finally had some breathing space to reflect on what it all means.
When you've been in a town for as long as the Kostoglous, you get to know people — the regulars, the transient travellers popping in for a visit and the people who have been a part of the fabric of the place for as long as people can remember.
“But I’d say the biggest highlight for us is that our son became a pharmacist — it made it easier when he decided to stay,” they said
Kathy also volunteers in Echuca, having helped raise more than $150,000 in 10 years for Community Living and Respite Services.
“I think the biggest advantage of being in business is that it gives us an opportunity to be close to family and also gives us a passion for travel,” she said.
“We have had many trips back to Greece with friends and family, but Echuca is our home.
“They say you’re a local after 21 years.”
