Retirement looms for Alfred’s owners after almost 50 years

One of Darwin’s most colourful stores could soon have a change of owner.

TIME is catching up with a popular Darwin gift-shop that’s delighted locals and visitors for almost 50-years.

Alfred’s owners Stanley and Trish Chin say the time is up to end their association with the Knuckey St shop and are weighing-up options for retirement.

This could include selling or closing the business, depending on the opportunities that emerge in coming weeks and months.

To mark the change a Retirement Sale begins on Wednesday with 25 per cent off everything storewide.

A traditional Chung Wah Society Lion Dance blessing will be held at 10.30am on Saturday.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to serve our loyal customer base over many years,” Trish said.

“Thank you to all our local and Territory customers and returning interstate visitors.”

“We are so grateful for all who have helped us to feed, clothe and educate our children,” Stanley said.

“Thank you to our family for decades of unwavering support, still ongoing today.”

Unique in Darwin’s diverse retail landscape, Alfred’s specialises in 13-different knife brands and offers an extensive range of Mywalit leather goods, Australian and global products.

The decision to consider their futures is hardly surprising. Past retirement age and running a family business brings with it routine and commitment.

To illustrate the lack of flexibility, Stanley said they have still not visited Kakadu National Park.

“We think that 46 years in business is a pretty good innings,” Stanley said

“We’d like to bow out while all is well and we have the energy to enjoy life outside of retail. It will be bittersweet but we are proud of our goodwill in the community and what we have accomplished.

“Any independent business is very binding and consuming in the long trading hours, few holidays and juggling with family.

“There is no receptionist, accounts or tech department as in the bigger enterprises. In a small business, owners do it all and we are responsible for it all. We’re responsible for buying the photocopy paper, changing the light bulbs, general maintenance and preparing for a cyclone as we would do in our home.”

Stanley and Trish Chin Alfred’s. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Named after Stanley’s dad, Alfred’s has been 20 years in Knuckey St and was originally in Smith St before the mall was built, construction of which disrupted retail at the popular strip.

“We remember when Smith St was excavated to create a mall in the early 80s and it was a long and protracted project when many small businesses folded,” Trish said.

“It showed how take home wages can be dependent on the economic climate, inclement or cyclonic weather.”

Issues that have impacted business are online shopping and anti-social behaviour.

“The advent of online shopping has had a huge impact on small businesses but it has its place,” Stanley said.

“We preferred to offer an experience for our customers where there was social interaction, the visit was sensory, the quality was visible, free gift wrapping was available and they could take it home immediately.”

Less manageable is escalating levels of anti-social behaviour in the CBD.

“This has had a big impact on Darwin city and many small businesses generally. We need to find a solution,” Stanley said.

“Please continue to support our local businesses as they are the retail fabric to a vibrant city and need the support of the community to thrive.

“We dreamt of having a shop of our own and this dream came to fruition with the move to the Knuckey St premises, where we reinvented ourselves in a better location.

“To go to a job that we love every day, the buzz of sourcing and filling our store with amazing products and gift-lines, customer satisfaction and enthusiasm is the reward we get every day from our business.”