Glenfords Ipswich shuts shop as big developers take trade

IN the same week that Ipswich discovered it would likely lose one of the heavy hitters of the hardware industry, it has also lost one of the little battlers.

TOOLS DOWN: Glenfords Discount Tool Centre owners Tony Child and Claude Cester. Picture: Rob Williams

IN the same week that Ipswich discovered it would likely lose one of the heavy hitters of the hardware industry, it has also lost one of the little battlers.

Glenfords Ipswich part owner Tony Childs had the regrettable task of informing his few remaining staff that the 30-year-old Queensland-owned tool shop would be shutting its doors.

The writing has been on the wall for some time, with the business reducing its staff by 50% over the last year due to a decrease in sales.

Although the recent opening of Bunnings Warehouse directly across the road arguably had some detrimental effect on business, Mr Childs said he aimed his product range at local tradesmen and it was a lack of construction work that had ultimately broken Glenfords Ipswich.

"Ipswich is going ahead in the wrong places - there is no benefit for the people who already live here," he said.

"All the development is happening at Ripley and Springfield and they are using out-of-town tradesmen.

"I've got Ipswich builders coming in here and crying poor because they've got no work.

"We aimed ourselves at the trade market and Ipswich builders that were employing 20-30 people are now down to two."

The West Ipswich business was first opened in 1985, with Mr Childs and another part owner taking over in 1997.

Mr Childs owns another Glenfords outlet at Gladstone, which he said was still doing well.

He said he had no future plans to run a business in Ipswich.

The Ipswich store will hold a two-week closing down sale, starting immediately. Whatever isn't sold when the store closes in a fortnight will be auctioned off.

"I didn't want to do this but economically it needed to be done," Mr Childs said.

"This means there will no longer be a Queensland-owned toolshop in Ipswich."