Hobart’s iconic Red Herring Kombi Van has found a new owner, months after it was pulled down from its long-standing perch on the roof of the store’s old Liverpool Street location.
The van had been sitting above the store for an impressive 27 years until it was taken down in November when the store relocated to a new shopfront on Elizabeth Street.
Now, all of the proceeds of from its sale have been generously donated to the telephone crisis support service, Lifeline Tasmania.
James Ryan, Program Manager at Lifeline Tasmania, said each call that comes in costs the organisation approximately $39.
He says the $1,000 raised in the sale of the van will go a long way in supporting Tasmanians at risk.
Speaking to Pulse, the van’s new custodian Igor Feldman of I Build Tas shared his personal connection to the van.
He previously grew up with a fascination of the Kombi, before later working as a maintenance man for Red Herring Surf’s various stores across Tasmania.
“For me it was a big thing as a kid going in there and going into the shop with a big red van,” he told Pulse.
“It’s a bit of a trophy for me now in some aspects, after doing all the work over the the years.”
Feldman says he’s got “a couple” of ideas for the future of the red Kombi.
“I could potentially turn it into a fish and chip van, but someone else has suggested I put a bar in it with an outdoor beer garden,” he said.
The Kombi was stripped of its internal components nearly three decades ago to make it light enough to be perched on top of the store’s awning.
“It’s still got the seat and the steering in it, apart from that it’s pretty shelled.”
The Kombi removed from the Red Herring Launceston store was unable to be salvaged.
