Milestone for drinks aisle's merry old soul

Since he left Geraldton Senior College, Graham King has worked in supermarkets.

He started at Sunset (Beach) and later got a job stacking shelves at Coles.

And he’s been there since, even meeting his wife Nadine there.

Coles Geraldton is about to honour the king of the drinks aisle for 20 years of service with a morning tea and a certificate. Store manager Rob Bunn said Mr King was “a character” with lots of personality.

“He’s a very happy, jovial person with a characteristic laugh you could pick three streets away, ” Mr Bunn said.

Mr King, who said he had Down syndrome, doesn’t mind stacking shelves and said he was “stoked” to be acknowledged for his long service.

“I do like my job. It’s a big milestone 20 years, ” said the keen basketball fan, who also volunteers as “water technician” at Geraldton Buccaneers games.

“Nobody treats me any differently because I have Down syndrome. It doesn’t matter to me. I’d just like to pay off my house mortgage and then I’d like to retire, ” he said.

His boss said Mr King’s disability had little impact on his work.

“We’re very impressed with what he’s achieved and he has a good rapport with customers, ” Mr Bunn said.

Coles Geraldton employs 120 staff, a number of whom have worked at the company for between 11 and 38 years. The company acknowledges staff members’ length of service, noting it in five-year increments on their name tags.

Mr King’s 15-year badge will soon be replaced by the 20-year acknowledgment.

Mr King met his wife Nadine when she began working at the store 11 years ago. They will celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary later this year. The couple plan on stacking shelves happily ever after.