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7 May 2015
End of an era as Mudgee's Material World is sold after 30 years
When Kay Norton-Knight started selling fabric out of the back of a truck in Mudgee in the early 1980s, she didn't imagine it would be the start of a 30-year retail success story with 15 stores across NSW.
We were called Fabric Seconds back then, and we really filled a gap in the regional fabric market,' Kay explains.
Those early days of trade turned into the multi-store retail chain Material World, an iconic home decorating brand with its first and flagship store becoming a familiar shop-front in Mudgee's Mortimer Centre.
Last week, Kay and Gerald Norton-Knight sold their Mudgee and Orange stores to long-time employee and general manager, Maryann Young.
We are absolutely thrilled that Maryann has taken over these busy stores, as she has a huge amount of knowledge, experience and energy, and is in a great position to move the business forward,' the Norton-Knights said.
We wish her the very best and look forward to seeing Material World grow into a new era under her watch.
Other Material World stores in Chatswood, Tamworth and Dubbo have similarly been taken over by previous managers, who now own and operate the outlets as independent businesses.
It leaves the Norton-Knight family to concentrate on a growing stable of luxury offerings borne from their Rosby property, which has been producing award-winning wine grapes for more than 20 years.
Rosby Wines released its first vintage in 2003, with its cabernet sauvignon and shiraz varietals consistently securing excellent ratings from James Halliday in the Australian Wine Companion.
More recently, the Norton-Knights have added gourmet food and wine events in a hand-built mud hut overlooking the vineyard, luxury accommodation at the adjoining Rosby Guesthouse, bespoke art workshops, and the state's largest regional outdoor art exhibition, Sculptures in the Garden.
Credit: When Kay Norton-Knight started selling fabric out of the back of a truck in Mudgee in the early 1980s, she didn't imagine it would be the start of a 30-year retail success story with 15 stores across NSW1 .