STIHL twice as busy this year thanks to COVID-19

By Daneka Hill

Sep 1, 2020

“Big chainsaws, little chainsaws, it doesn’t matter, people are buying them.”

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The STIHL shop on Numurkah Rd, Shepparton, has been abuzz with business ever since Victorians became mandatory homebodies.

Shop manager Mathew Cucinotta said compared to August last year, STIHL Shepparton was now twice as busy.

“And that’s not just retail I’m talking about, but repairs and servicing as well,” Mr Cucinotta said.

“We are extremely busy, and it has nothing to do with Father’s Day.”

He said chainsaws were one of many big sellers.

Mr Cucinotta said people were buying them for a range of reasons, including firewood collection and camping kits.

“It’s been cold ... they were buying whatever chainsaw they could get to cut what they could to keep warm for another 10 or so days,” he said.

Now that the weather is warming up, garden and renovation projects are injecting another rush of sales on the shop.

“Last weekend was such a nice instance of good weather, and is a great example,” Mr Cucinotta said.

“We’ve got people coming from Seymour, Kyabram, Cobram … If they can’t find something in their local stores they are using it as an excuse to travel. They can show the police if asked, and it becomes essential travel because they can’t buy it at home.

“The Father’s Day sales will start around the middle of this week. I had someone call just before asking about leaf blowers and they asked me to put one aside for Friday. People usually don’t buy stuff until the last minute, so the presents don’t get discovered.”

STIHL stocks a range of power tools and machinery for weekend dabblers and commercial buyers alike.

The range includes battery power tools, powerful petrol tools, mowers, trimmers, high-pressure cleaners, pruners and everything in between including John Deer lawn mowers and concrete-laying equipment.