Giuseppe’s Workshop in The Ginger Factory shuts down after 30 years

After nearly 30 years, a Sunshine Coast couple will shut their toy shop for the last time at a famed Sunshine Coast tourist attraction. Read why here.

Giuseppe’s Workshop in The Ginger Factory in Yandina will shut down after nearly 30 years.

A popular toy store in a Sunshine Coast tourist attraction is closing down after nearly 30 years of operation.

Estelle Abood and her husband Innis bought Giuseppe’s Workshop in The Ginger Factory in Yandina 28 years ago.

The 82-year-old said it was time to retire.

“It’s really gone quite quickly … it’s been enjoyable that’s for sure,” Mrs Abood said.

The store is famous with generations of Sunshine Coast children for the toy train that moves on its line above the toys for sale and the motorised kangaroo, “Skippy”, which still delivers children’s rides for 40 cents a pop.

Estelle Abood and her husband Innis bought Giuseppe’s Workshop in The Ginger Factory in Yandina 28 years ago.

“What Skippy’s future is we’re not too sure,” Mrs Abood said.

“We probably will do him up and offer him to a museum or someone who is a collector of those rides.”

Skippy the motorised children's ride will go when the Aboods shut their store at The Ginger Factory.

She said the shop had endured tough times and the couple had run the shop for seven days a week for nearly three decades.

The great-grandmother loved dolls and doll-making and the business was originally a doll shop.

When it came up for sale, she jumped at the chance to buy it but fast-realised she could not run a successful business selling dolls alone.

“Now it is successful … and I’ve achieved what I wanted to do,” she said.

Giuseppe’s Workshop in The Ginger Factory will shut down after nearly 30 years.

Mrs Abood said she would miss her displays and her customers.

“I love it when the little ones come up to the counter and put their little hands on the counter,” she said.

“And they look at you, and because I’m a doll painter I look at their features, and these wonderful eyes look at you.”

Mrs Abood said what was next for the couple was a “little unknown” and she had a couple of health problems to rectify.

“We don’t have any great plans to travel, we may have left that a little bit too late,” she said.

The Aboods would remain living on the Sunshine Coast.

The Ginger Factory has been contacted for comment regarding what’s next for the building.

The shop will close on July 27.