St Leonards Hardware owners Philip and Beth Shoppee to retire after 44 years

Loyal customers pleaded with the long-time owners of a Bellarine hardware store to remain open, but they could not sway their decision to spend more time with their family.

Beth and Philip Shoppee are retiring from St Leonards Hardware after running the business for more than four decades. Picture: Alison Wynd

The owners of a Bellarine hardware store are stepping away from the business they have operated for 44 years despite pleas from locals to stay.

Philip and Beth Shoppee have run St Leonards Hardware since 1981 but they are ready for retirement once the financial year ends.

The Queenscliff couple cited a desire to spend time with family, as well as enjoy hobbies as the reasons for the decision, which could not be swayed by protests from loyal customers.

“We got a lot of good messages but … we have three grandchildren … and they grow up pretty quickly,” Ms Shoppee said.

“As you know, time flies — one minute it’s Easter then it’s Christmas again — and it just rolls along so we’ve said ‘right, we need to spend time with our family’.

“It’s not viable when you are working all the time.

“Philip’s been doing up some cars so he’ll be able to finish some of those, I’ll be able to do some of my art and we will go travelling.”

Signs on the window reading ‘please don’t go’ indicate how the community feels about their departure. Picture: Alison Wynd.

There is no succession plan in place, but Ms Shoppee welcomed the idea of someone taking over the business but said the prospect could be “daunting.”

“In the hardware business we were learning all the time and you never learn everything but you need someone who is a bit of a handyman skilled in different aspects,” she said.

Asked what advice she would give to up-and-coming small business operators, Ms Shoppee had two simple lessons to impart.

“Take it as it comes but be prepared. It’ll be a rollercoaster but you get to a point where anything that comes up you just deal with it,” she said.

“And resilience is key — you never know what’s around the corner.”

Now, Mr and Ms Shoppee will go out on top and ride off into the sunset.

“It’s been a journey … we had really great customer support and interacting with them has been very rewarding,” she said.

Ms Shoppee said her sons were “raised” in the shop and developed a strong work ethic by helping out as they grew up.

Originally published as St Leonards Hardware owners Philip and Beth Shoppee to retire after 44 years