The Cahill family’s connection to Forbes’ retail heart began in 1947 with a modest boot repair shop in Templar Street. Nearly eight decades later, that legacy has grown again, with the opening of their third store - a dedicated sports outlet in Rankin Street, created in response to local demand. Martin Cahill’s grandfather, father and uncle moved to Forbes almost 80 years ago, choosing the town as the place to build both their business and their future. The original shop was tiny, but it became the foundation of something enduring. His grandfather eventually retired and his uncle left to go farming, but it was Martin’s father, Harry, who stayed on and built the Cahill name into a cornerstone of local footwear retail. What began as a repair shop slowly shifted into retail as Harry started selling work boots and then school shoes - despite having a space so small that only two chairs could fit inside during the back-to-school rush. “Dad rented a space down the laneway, and quite often had to say to customers, just watch the shop for me I’ve got to run down the lane and get a pair of shoes,” Martin said. “He’d open a roller door and go in and get the shoes and run back to the shop.” By 1981 the business had moved to its current Rankin Street home, though it was only a fraction of the size it is today. “We were selling work boots, school shoes and a couple of joggers but not many,” Martin said. “We had Nike when it first came along: they showed us four shoes, that was their first range.” Martin joined his father in the early 1980s. Expansion soon followed. They took over the former Shorty’s Fashion store next door, then extended the building backwards in the 1990s, and again later that decade all the way through to the road. Sports shoes became a major pillar of the business, with Cahill’s at one point stocking 1400 pairs of Reeboks. Their range of women’s shoes grew too, attracting travellers who planned their detours around a stop in Forbes. Through it all, Harry continued repairing boots in the back room until he finally retired — reluctantly - at age 86 due to health. The family branched out again more than 20 years ago, opening their first women’s fashion stores in Parkes and Forbes. And two years ago, the departure of the Salvos from Rankin Street allowed them to bring Euphoria Clothing next door into line with Cahill’s Footwear. When that shift left their original clothing store vacant on the opposite side of the street, Martin faced a choice: sell it, or shape it into something the town needed. The loss of the late Ian Bown and the closure of Sportspower left a gap the community felt deeply. As time passed, inquiries grew - could Cahill’s source the same brands? Could Forbes once again have a place to buy sport-specific footwear and gear locally? “We decided let’s do it,” Martin said. “We need businesses in the town. If they close, people aren’t coming to Forbes to shop.” And people are travelling here to shop. Cahill’s has long drawn customers from Condobolin and surrounding communities, but with regional closures elsewhere, shoppers from Grenfell and even Young are now making Forbes part of their retail routine. The new sports store’s next step will be partnering with Bloch to supply dance wear - not only for the thriving Kristen’s Dance Studio, but also for dancers across neighbouring towns. This comes on top of the steady stream of visitors pulling off the highway each year. “Because you’re on the main drag from Melbourne to Brisbane, a lot of people are looking to pull up for the night, it’s amazing the amount of people that pull up,” Martin said. “Then you’ll find they come back.” Some call him a year after buying shoes, wanting to replace them. “These days I say take a photo, send it to my phone … we send stuff all over the place,” he said - and that’s without an online shop. Online retail remains a major pressure point for country stores, but shoes and clothing remain products people prefer to try on - to feel, fit and compare in person. The changing market also presents challenges to independent and family businesses in terms of buying power to get the brands people are looking for. But local businesses continue to back each other, whether it’s sending customers next door for something they don’t stock or collaborating on major promotions like Find It in Forbes, where shoppers can win a combined $20,000 this Christmas. After 40 years in business, Martin has seen a lot of changes in our retail centre but is also encouraged to see new shops coming in - such as Central West Lighting and Home. "You want to see the town survive and thrive," he said.
