Sunshine Coast pizzeria Pizza Capers Maroochydore up for sale

A Sunshine Coast pizza store owner has had to call time on a 12-year career despite soaring sales. Read why he’s had to put his business on the market.

A Sunshine Coast pizzeria supremo has called time on his career after 12 years of business after the struggle to find and retain young workers became too much.

Pizza Capers Maroochydore owner Matthew Brown, 52, confirmed he was ending his tenure after battling to run the operation with his young team of 12.

The Aerodrome Rd business is on the market for $190,00.

Mr Brown, of Little Mountain, said he employed many high school and college students who would often leave after a year and being trained.

He said it was rare to have someone stay for three years.

Mr Brown said it was also hard to find new staff given today’s staffing shortage.

“For me, that’s what made it the hardest,” he said.

It comes as businesses around the state brace for another challenging year ahead.

As operating and labour costs hit record highs the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland’s Pulse Survey found 79 per cent of businesses were struggling to find enough candidates for job openings.

The survey found while businesses were growing their sales but their confidence was fading amid rising operating costs.

More than 62 per cent of those surveyed indicated they would be increasing wages or salaries in the next three months to hold onto their existing staff.

Mr Brown said his staffing issues were particularly tough to swallow because his pizzeria was in hot demand this year after sales increased by 20 per cent since last year.

Mr Brown – who has worked nearly every weekday since 2009 – said a big reason for selling was also because it was tiring running it alone without his wife.

He said his wife normally helped out but had since stepped back after taking a role as a full-time teacher two years ago.

“It’s probably a young man’s game,” he said.

While he would miss his customers, Mr Brown said he looked forward to resting, a quieter life, and, potentially, opening a one-man coffee or food truck.