Australian convenience stores have a reputation for being lacklustre compared to their counterparts across the world.
But one shop in Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Redfern has earned itself a cult following thanks to its array of quirky and controversial items on sale.
Redfern Convenience Store sells products including drug purity testing kits, edible worms, scorpion lollipops and chocolate cigarettes.
Inside Sydney’s wildest convenience store: This shop in Redfern sells drug purity testing kits, chocolate cigarettes and scorpion lollipops – among other weird and wonderful products
Owner Hazem Sedda, who moved from Palestine to Australia in 2003, told Daily Mail Australia he sells these unusual products because he wants to be different from other convenience stores and fight the supermarket giants.
‘This is what makes our store special, they can see things that nobody else has,’ said Mr Sedda, 34.
‘We have the range of products they want and need all the time and they always find whatever they want.’
Point of difference: Redfern Convenience Store owner Hazem Sedda sells unusual products because he wants to be different from other local stores and fight the supermarket giants
Famous friends: Even celebrities like Ben Fordham (centre) and comedian Ash Williams (right) have visited the 19-year-old establishment that was opened by Mr Sedda’s father in 2000
Redfern Convenience Store’s Instagram account has more than 16,000 followers from across the world.
Even celebrities like Ben Fordham and comedian Ash Williams have visited the 19-year-old establishment that was opened by Mr Sedda’s father in 2000.
After Fordham’s first visit five years ago, he was so impressed by the store that he shared a photo of himself with the owner to Instagram.
It was this encounter that inspired Mr Sedda to download Instagram himself and start an account for his retail business.
Ideas man! Fordham inspired Mr Sedda to start an Instagram account for Redfern Convenience Store five years ago
‘I had to ask my sister, “What’s Instagram?'” he said.
Redfern Convenience Store’s account includes regular ‘customer of the day’ posts in which happy shoppers pose with their weird and wonderful purchases.
‘I have people across the country who want to be my customer of the day,’ he said.
Instagram tour: Mr Sedda claims his is the only store in Sydney that sells the DIY drug testing kits (pictured), which check the purity of illegal drugs but aren’t illegal themselves
Would you dare to try? One of the more bizarre items is a lollipop with a real scorpion inside and edible flavoured crickets and meal worms
Williams, who is a regular at Mr Sedda’s establishment, took his 60,000 Instagram followers on a tour of the store on Thursday.
‘What is this stuff? I tell you what, convenience stores are now selling everything!’ he said while browsing through the drug testing kits.
Mr Sedda claims his is the only store in Sydney that sells the DIY kits, which check the purity of illegal drugs but aren’t illegal themselves.
The store also sells rare products not usually found in Australia, including cereals, candy, spreads and potato chips from overseas.
Some of the more exotic imports include ‘the world’s hottest gummy bear’ and flavoured edible crickets and meal worms.
Rare products: Some of the more exotic imports include ‘the world’s hottest gummy bear’
‘We concentrate on customers’: The store’s Instagram account includes regular ‘customer of the day’ posts in which happy shoppers pose with their purchases
Mr Sedda’s success means that major companies often send him new products to sell before anyone else.
Earlier this year, Redfern Convenience Store was the first place where people could buy Cadbury’s popular Caramilk bar.
The demand was so high, he sold 2,500 blocks in just four days.
On Thursday, he announced that his store will be one of the first to sell lamington flavoured Smith’s chips next week.
International flavours: Redfern Convenience Store sells rare products not usually found in Australia, including cereals, candy, spreads and potato chips from overseas
Trend-setters: Earlier this year, Redfern Convenience Store was the first place where people could buy Cadbury’s popular Caramilk bar
His most popular items include Cheetos, American cereals and British chocolates.
Mr Sedda also revealed that customers regularly ask him to import certain products to Australia that are only available overseas.
According to the owner, he’s able to fulfill these requests ’90 per cent of the time’.
‘The best feeling is when you’re in the store and you see one of the [shoppers] is from Redfern and he has brought friends from other places,’ he said.
‘It’s like a tourist attraction.’
Rare products: On Thursday, Mr Sedda he announced that his store will be one of the first to sell lamington flavoured Smith’s chips next week