AFTER almost 40 years, five months short to be exact, business owners Cyril and Yvonne Ellis have put pen to paper, selling their beloved Mount Isa pawnbrokers business.
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The business remains at its original premises following a few extensions over the years.
The couple began with just Cyril, his father and a cash box with about $40 in it.
"Dad and I built the building. At that time I was working as a telegram boy for the Post Master General," he said.
"At the age of 20 we started the business, beginning with nothing but a cash box and a receipt box I didn't even know how to write out."
Cyril's father owned a well-known sewing machine centre in Mount Isa for 48 years.
"Dad had that business for ages, since 1964, before we moved into the Isa City Pawnbrokers business," Mr Ellis said.
At the time of opening the new business, Cyril was dating now wife, Yvonne, a qualified hairdresser.
"I saw her when she was only young and knew then that I wanted her to be my wife.
"We were like real childhood sweethearts," he said.
"I asked her in 1974 to give me a hand with the business and the rest is history."
After about 30 years, Mr Ellis said he got sick of being a secondhand dealer and thought up a new venture.
"I decided to introduce affordable new furniture, so I bought 56 Duchess Road, built a shed to store some of my furniture, and before I knew it the stock was coming to me as quick as it was selling out," he said.
The tin shed sold everything from white goods to new furniture and was Brogdens Furniture and Electrical.
It wasn't until Mr Ellis returned from a fishing trip one day the idea of buying Mount Isa Furniture and Bedding came to mind, thanks to wife Yvonne's idea.
"We purchased the current Brogden's Furniture and Bedding site in Camooweal Street in March 2003.
"Our daughter Louise has managed Brogden's Furniture and Bedding every since.
"Which brings us to now," Mr Ellis said with a smile.
"I'm 60 now, have been here with my wife for 40 years and am getting closer to retiring," he said.
Mr Ellis said his daughter Kathryn had no desire to carry the family's pawnbroker business on, so he decided to get the word out he was selling.
"I called a young fellow, John Davies, who worked for me straight after he finished high school all those years ago," he said.
"From the time I called him, which was Easter time this year, to now, we have been negotiating a deal.
"We finally signed over the business to his name on August 1 this year."
John Davies was a slaughterman for Kingaroy meatworks for 10 years, manager of a pub, security guard, casual staff member at a friend's tackle store, and did some work in his own lawnmower businesses and convenience stores.
At 46, he is now the proud owner of the pawnbrokers store, situated on Shackleton Street.
His plans for the business include changing the name and bringing in a couple more products for the store.
"Cyril has done a great job bringing loyal service to customers in the city over the past 40 years, and I don't want to step in and change any of that," he said.
"We will house products including secondhand furniture, trailers, shooting accessories, archery items, pigging products, everything to do with fishing, and with include collectibles and antiques now."
The new business will have the same phone number, same fax and be in the same location.
Mr Ellis said while it was hard to let go of the door as it closed for the final time, he was looking forward to travelling around Australia with his wife.
"I'm looking forward to driving with our caravan in tow for about 150 km and then saying, you know what, let's just stop here to relax," he said.
"That's the next chapter of our lives and something that we both know was worth waiting for."
Cyril and Yvonne Ellis said while they had enjoyed every minute of their 40 years of business in Mount Isa, they would have been lost without the support of the loyal Mount Isa community.
"My tip to business owners is to provide quality, genuine service to last in the current climate," he said.
"But without the loyalty and support of the community, we would not be where we are today."