DEIDRE Coone has been the constant smiling face behind Gilbert and Jury haberdashery shop on Barkly Street since 1998.
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But now she is preparing to close the shop and enjoy a well earned retirement.
The final day of trade will be June 30.
Mrs Coone said she has fond memories from her nearly 21 years in business.
"I've met so many people," she said.
"When I first started it was young mothers (who came in) and those young mothers' children are young adults now. It's wonderful to watch them grow up."
Mrs Coone said it's not just her customers who have changed over 21 years, but the way her industry does business.
"A lot has evolved since I've been in business," she said.
"You buy most stuff online now. We used to go down every fortnight to Melbourne and spend a whole day going around all the warehouses, picking fabric and manchester, and bring it all back that day.
"Now it's all online, or you get a couple of reps. I prefer to see what I'm getting.
"Some of them will send you little samples but mainly they just want to deal online. It's just the way it's gone.
"The buying power has gotten smaller, in my business anyway."
Mrs Coone won't move straight into full retirement.
"I'll still do clothing alterations," she said.
"Because I own this building ... until it's sold or leased I'll come in two days a week and sew from here."
As to retirement itself, Mrs Coone has plenty on her to-do list.
"I've got a little cottage that I'm going to be doing up and extending, so I've got lots to do," she said.
"Gardening, there's a couple of charity things I'd like to do as well, and sewing and knitting for myself."
Retail wasn't originally on the cards for the Coones, but after her husband had an accident, Mrs Coone decided it might be worth a try.
"I had a nursing background," she said.
"My husband had a bad motorbike accident so I took a package from nursing to look after him.
"I knew this was on the market and we just thought well, we'll give it a go.
"I'd never been in retail or anything like that but I've always sewn or knitted, so it was a big learning curve for me.
"I thought I reckon I could do something with it, and I did."
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