7 NOVEMBER 2025
THURSDAY 13/11/2025
HEART, HUMOUR AND HUMANITY In a world where good service is expected but true kindness can be rare, Julianne Reardon stands out as the heart and soul of the Samford Variety Store & Newsagent. After one year and nine months on the team, Julianne has earned her stripes as a frontline retail veteran - and now, a well-deserved winner of the Employee of the Year Award. The National Lotteries & Newsagents Association (NLNA) held their 2025 Queensland Industry Awards on Wednesday 22 October. Julianne was nominated by Leilani and Thomas Kovacs, proud owners of the newsagent. During her time at the store, Julianne has faced everything from Eftpos malfunctions and printer breakdowns to last-minute giftwrapping emergencies and school stationery scrambles - often all before 9am. But what truly makes her exceptional isn’t just her ability to keep calm amid chaos; it’s the laughter, warmth, and compassion she brings to work every single day. “She’s not just staff - she’s family to us,” said Leilani. “Julianne doesn’t try to be extraordinary, she just is.” Known for her sharp wit and infectious humour, Julianne can chat with anyone about anything - from politics to pop culture - and leave them smiling. Her colleagues
describe her as reliable, intelligent, and unfailingly kind, with a work ethic that inspires everyone around her. One story that captures her spirit happened when a new employee admitted feeling overwhelmed by a tricky customer situation. Instead of stepping back, Julianne quietly took charge, soothed the customer, and then spent time teaching the newcomer not just what to do, but why. “No fuss, no fanfare - that’s just her way,” says Leilani. She’s also the source of many store legends. Like the time a customer asked
for the secret to winning Lotto — and Julianne whispered, “Always buy the ticket after you’ve vacuumed. Luck doesn’t like dirty floors.” The customer still swears by the superstition, jokingly blaming every loss on their “dodgy Dyson.” But perhaps the moments that define Julianne most are the quiet, heartfelt ones. When Cyclone Alfred hit and the store was forced to close, Julianne showed up anyway - “not to work, but to check on the shop and to ask how she could help, either at the store or at our home.” This, despite having her own problems to deal with at her place due to the cyclone. And when an elderly regular, grieving the loss of her husband came in distraught, Julianne stopped everything to sit and comfort her. As her colleagues put it, “This award wasn’t made for people like her - it was made because of people like her.” Testament to the great business Leilani and Thomas have created, their store was one of only four finalists in the Community Newsagent of the Year category. Although they didn’t win, they are winners in our community for their excellent service and their ability to include just about everything you would ever need in one store.