Apollo Hi-Fi has served audio/visual products and advice to the Sydney area (and beyond) for many decades. In the words of John Chillari (right), who is the store’s owner and its general manager, “We must be doing something right!” John and his staff know their customers’ needs, and have become adept at knowing what to stock, when, and at what levels. Their attitude and adaptability have earned them their place as a top Australian home entertainment dealer when many are simply striving to survive in a competitive market. We talk with John and staff…
I believe the history of Apollo Hi-Fi goes back many decades. Have you been the owner since inception, and is it the oldest established hi-fi store in Sydney?
Apollo Hi-Fi was first established in 1969 by Mel and Vicki Chillari—that’s my brother and sister-in-law. They started off in this same building, selling black and white TVs and cheaper audio equipment. The front of the store was originally the local “Free Weekly” newspaper office.
Mel and Vicki bought the premises and had the Apollo business at the front and lived in the back. As the business grew, they kept moving back more and more to make space for more demo rooms, more hi-fi gear. Eventually, there was no
