The Klose Family have served the Adelaide Hills communities for over a century! It all began in 1893 when Carl (Charlie) and Alvine Klose opened a general store in the town of Blumberg (now Birdwood). The Klose fingerprint on the Foodland community has been extraordinary, with Barry Klose (third generation Klose), inducted into the Foodland Hall of Fame in 2022 for his outstanding achievements.
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 he expanded with the help of his sons Graham and Barry, 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 Foodland 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, they built and opened a new and improved store in Woodside, featuring a much larger Foodland, and their first ever liquor store. Later in 2020 the Klose’s opened their sixth Adelaide Hills Foodland Supermarket in Nairne along with their 2nd liquor store, and so far, 2024 has seen the opening of their 3rd liquor store in Birdwood and building upgrades to Littlehampton.
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.
Find your local Klose’s Foodland:
Balhannah Foodland
Birdwood Foodland
Littlehampton Foodland
Lobethal Foodland
Nairne Foodland
Woodside Foodland
Website: klose.com.au