Locals rally around Mannum roadside produce stall after vandal attack

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The owner of a roadside stall at Mannum has vowed to reopen after being left “heartbroken” by a senseless act of vandalism this week.

For the past two months, Michelle Borg and her family had sold baked goods, lemon products, tomato relish and other goodies from a stall she named the 90 Acre Pantry.

But on Sunday, she announced that she would have to close the pantry “for the foreseeable future” after vandals trashed $300 worth of produce and the antique meat safe it had been stored in.

“We genuinely cannot understand why someone would do this,” she said in a Facebook post.

“We put the pantry out there believing that people could be honest, respectful and appreciate what we were trying to create.

“I wanted to believe that we could trust people to do the right thing.

“Sadly, this has changed that.”

The vandal or vandals had caused much more than financial damage, she said; they had taken away something that had brought her family so much joy.

An outpouring of support followed as Ms Borg’s post was seen by tens of thousands of people.

Many had reached out with offers of support, fresh stock or to repair the cabinet, she said in a follow-up post.

She told Murray Bridge News on Wednesday that the family would repair the stall this weekend and reopen next weekend.

They might also install a security camera.

“What happened may have knocked our little pantry down, but the kindness and support we've received has honestly lifted us back up,” she said.

“Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.”

• More information: Follow 90 Acre Pantry on Facebook.

Clarification: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that the stall will reopen.