Circa 1880: The ancestor of the Panama Store was the Panama Refreshment Tent which opened in 1854 to service the needs of the diggers. This building located halfway between Castlemaine and Chewton replaced the tent and opened its doors in late 1859. It was one of the earliest permanent shops on the Forest Creek Goldfield. The business finally closed its doors around the time of the First World War and for many years it was used as a residence. In 1970 the building was purchased by Mrs Bridgeland who opened a restaurant called Bridge’s Kitchen. In 1972, Lyn and Rene Willan purchased the property and the business, and during their occupancy, Bridge’s Kitchen became one of best known and most respected restaurants in country Victoria offering a French style cuisine attracting many customers from Melbourne.2008: The Willan family sold the restaurant in 1985 and for many years it became a residence again. When this photograph was taken in 2008, the building was for sale and for a short time in the years that followed it was occupied by a business, however ever since it has been a residence. The main fabric of the building has remained unchanged since 1859 with only the original windows and shutters replaced by modern windows and the building on the right side being rebuilt.
