Lina Lagana and her daughter Rosanna
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
After 34 years of business, Shepparton Family Restaurant is selling its business and passing the baton on to another family.
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Owner Lina Lagana bought the restaurant in 2019 off her previous boss, who she had worked with since it opened 31 years before, in an effort to keep the business going.
“With COVID it’s been really hard and I’ve had the business for two years and it was open, close, open, close and we still have overheads to pay, it’s been really hard,” Mrs Lagana said.
“By the time you’ve opened again it takes a few weeks to pick up and then something happens again and it’s hard to pick up again. It’s hard on staff and everyone really.”
Despite the struggles, Mrs Lagana said she was excited for the new owners as they would be able to bring a new vision to the restaurant.
“All their meals and desserts are handmade, they have a lot of vegan and gluten-free options,” she said.
“It will be really good for the town because it’s something completely different and they haven’t been in this area before.
Last days: Shepparton Family Restaurant has finished up after 34 years of service.
Photo by
Supplied by Shepparton Family Restaurant
“It’ll be a family-run business again which is really good, it is what I wanted.’’
The business has always been a central part of the Lagana family with all her children and now grandchildren growing up there.
Mrs Lagana said that having another family take over the business was something that was really important to her.
“Honestly I’m happy it’s going on to another family because that’s what I wanted and I didn’t want to shut the doors because it’s a thing that everybody knows, Shepparton Family Restaurant,” she said.
“It’s been a part of my life, all my children have grown up there and started working by washing dishes there.
“Then I’ve got my grandchildren working there too.’’
The new business owners are not local to the area and will be turning the space into an Indian restaurant while incorporating other Asian dishes in the menu like Chinese cuisine, according to Mrs Lagana.
The interior of Shepparton Family Restaurant
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Mrs Lagana said she would miss working there and engaging with her regular customers each week.
“My clientele is very loyal, that’s what I’ll miss a lot, the people and catching up with everyone and the kids that grew up there and come back with their kids which is beautiful to see,“ she said.
Despite it all, Mrs Lagana is excited for her next step in life, looking forward to helping out her kids and looking after her grandchildren and mother more.
“It’ll be another chapter in life, a new start to other things that I’ve never been able to do before really ... I’ll have more weekends free to do things,’’ she said.
“My one priority is more family time. It’s important now in this day and age, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.”
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