Supabarn Express has opened for business on the site of the former Kingston IGA, a month after it shut down and left locals in the dark.
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The IGA store had been noticeably low on stock for months prior to its closure, with staple items frequently missing from the shelves.
"I came around in the night - I didn't even know it was closing, and it was all shut and there were people out the front going 'oh no what are we going to do' totally freaking out'," customer Catherine Russell said.
"I'm delighted to see it's opened up."
Carla Van Hagen, who was a frequent visitor to IGA, said she was happy to have a local supermarket again.
"I could kind of see it coming, IGA closing down because they had empty shelves for quite a few months," she said.
"I really missed it [local supermarket] in those few weeks that it was closed. I'm stoked that it's opened."
The new supermarket opened its doors on Wednesday, bringing the total number of stores in Canberra to three.
Supabarn's managing director Theo Koundouris said 30 staff have been hired, with the possibility for the number to increase.
The new supermarket is located just metres away from a larger Supabarn site which is set to open in 2019 as part of the Atria development on nearby Eyre Street.
"We are naturally excited to have opened the Supabarn Express store and look forward to opening the full line farmers market concept on the Kingston car park site when this development is complete."
In September after it was revealed the grocer would replace the chain, Mr Koundouris told Fairfax Media in he didn't want the community to be without a supermarket "until this new store opens."
The reaction from the public is positive, with many grateful to have a local supermarket to buy their "daily items between big shops".
"It's good - it's not quite full yet of produce, but it's getting there," local Rob Durie said "Much better than it was the last few months of the IGA where it was almost empty most of the time."
Sylvia Person who has lived in the area for the last five years preferred the new-look Supabarn to the IGA.
"The previous one was run down and we all know, the stock and the shelves weren't stocked for the last maybe 12 months," she said.
"It was a bit dingy but it's now all cleaned up."
Mr Koundouris said no decision has been made about the express store once the larger Supabarn opens in 2019.