The Ferrones view society's changes from the 1850s to the 1920s through the lens of the corner shop. They traverse gender roles, manual labour, preserving food, using British currency and imperial measurements.

The Ferrone family are put to the test as they live through the highs and lows of running a corner shop through one of the most tumultuous periods of Australian history, from the Roaring Twenties to the late 1940s.

The 1950s and '60s bring a radical boom in technology, mass production and commercialisation. But the Ferrones must watch out as the supermarket is coming. This newly introduced retail phenomenon is a major challenger to the corner shop.

In the 1970s, the Ferrones' humble corner store has transformed to be more like a modern mixed business convenience store: the hours are long and competition is fierce.

In the 1980s and '90s, the family must work even longer hours to stay relevant and make a profit, hoping to diversify and stave off the demise of the corner store.