This evening I was in the George St Sydney Darrell-lea store.  It was a random, spur-of-the-moment visit as there was a delay with the trains and I decided to walk to Town Hall rather than stand on the crowded platform waiting for the train. As I walked down George St I remembered that Darrell-lea stores were all closing today and dropped in to pick up some aniseed rings for my daughter, Sian.

The queue was very long and, as I waited to pay for my goods, a wave of nostalgia washed over me.  This was the last time I would be in a Darrell-lea store.  There would be no more shops to drop into when the urge for Rocklea Road struck.

As I stood there I had flashes of Darrell-lea related memories.  Memories of my grandfather buying me jars of  Bopeeps (little boiled lollies) and Muskettes (little musk flavoured candies).

Flash! Another image of the Darrell-lea shop in Parramatta. A fifteen year old me worked in the Coles variety store nearby, at a time when Saturday trading hours ended at 12pm, Thursday night shopping had just been introduced and noone ever thought all day Saturday trading was a possibility, let alone Sunday trading. With my pay in hand each week I would detour through Darrell-lea on my way to the bus stop on my way home after work.  For Mum I would buy chocolate covered sultanas (called Vimms in those days, for reasons I never understood),;for Dad there was scorched peanuts and there was usually something to share for my sisters and brothers. And, of course some Rocklea Road for me.

Flash forward some years and again Bopeeps were being purchased, this time for my children. They were always so excited to get them or the jellea babies that were the other choice.

Flash forward again to liquorice purchases for myself.  No liquorice can match the Darrell-lea taste. Trips to the shop in Burwood Westfield for every special event so Sian could buy liquorice presents for her father. Trips to buy dark chocolate aniseed rings for Sian as a special treat, especially if she was recovering from illness.

Flash forward to tonight, with a crowded store in a purchasing frenzy, buying those last remaining memories of a candy-filled past. Zoom in on the tear in my eye as I said my silent goodbyes to the source of past delicious experiences.

Vale, Darrell-lea shops. I will miss you.  I was not a frequent visitor, but I visited often enough over the years to have a soft spot in my heart for you.  Vale, Darrell-lea, I am off to eat some liquorice.