Redcliffe Produce will close its doors at the end of the month after 50 years on the Peninsula

A FAMILY business with 105 years of history in southeast Queensland will close the doors to its last store at the end of the month.

Lucinda Caine will be sad to see her family’s business, Redcliffe Produce, close at the end of May. Picture: Bradley Cooper

A FAMILY business with 105 years of history in Queensland will close the doors of its last store at the end of May.

Redcliffe Produce was opened by Col McCartney 50 years ago and is at Morris Rd, Rothwell — between Redcliffe and Deception Bay.

The store is the last McCartney & Sons produce store.

The first was opened by Col’s grandfather James.

He was 25 years old when he moved to Australia from Ireland and opened the first family produce store at Forest Hill in 1912, followed by another at Woolloongabba.

When James’ four eldest sons, Bob, Fred, George and Bill, joined their father, the business became McCartney & Sons.

Fred, Col’s father, branched out with his own sons in 1950 to open stores at Ipswich, Coopers Plains, Logan and Virginia.

Col said it was while working at Virginia Produce with his brothers that he realised there was a need for a produce store at Rothwell.

Redcliffe Produce is closing down after 50 years of operating on the Redcliffe Peninsula. Picture: Chris Higgins

He ran the store with his wife Barbara and help from their children.

Daughter Lucinda Caine took over the store when Colonel retired in mid-2016.

Redcliffe Produce owner Col McCartney, (bulimba) has retired. He had worked at the store since 1967 and his father's before that. Store is now being run by his daughter. Pictured at deception bay. Picture : Chris Higgins

The family recently made the decision to sell the land so Mr and Mrs McCartney could enjoy retirement.

“Working at the produce is a big part of my life and I miss it very much,” Col said.

It’s been my pleasure to provide good produce and service to the people of the district.

While happy for their parents, Mrs Caine and brother, Dr Rob McCartney, said they would be sad to see the business close.

Mrs Caine said it would be the “end of an era”.

“There is nothing else like this left,” she said.

“The staff still take goods to customers’ cars and we even hand mix our own seed.”

Dr McCartney said his dad had always been about giving back to the community.

“We employed hundreds and hundreds of people over the years,” Dr McCartney said. “Many of them were kids who couldn’t get a start.”

The Redcliffe Produce ‘resident’ has been rehomed. Picture: Chris Higgins

He said his father had helped with many charity and sporting events including sponsoring the Redcliffe trots, Redcliffe Show and Redcliffe Pony Club.

Mrs Caine said the land had been sold to a developer, but she was not sure of the developer’s plans for the site.

She said the cats and the well-known resident horse had been rehomed.

The store will be open until the end of the month, unless the stock is sold sooner.

“You never know, if I get bored with boating and fishing I may just have to open up another store,” Mr McCartney said.