The heart and soul of the Stanwell Park Beach Reserve, the Constantinous will hand the kiosk keys over to a new leaseholder on Sunday, and give retirement a chance.

It will be a dramatic change of pace for Mr Constantinou who, at 68, still works from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week, unless he is in hospital.

He took three months off in 1998, so he could travel to his Cyprus homeland before his mother died, but otherwise he refused to leave the kiosk in the hands of a caretaker.

"I couldn't enjoy myself on holiday if I don't know what's happening in my business," he said. "This here, in the park, is a holiday.

"I like the view, the green of the mountains, the fresh air, then you've got people flying from Bald Hill. It's nice to sit outside and watch them."

There's always something going on in the park, he said.

The Constantinous endeared themselves to many in the northern Illawarra during the 2001 Christmas bushfires, when scores of residents sought refuge in the park, convinced they were about to lose their homes.

The kiosk was thrown open and its contents made available - free of charge - to the displaced residents.

The lease has been taken over by a chef who once worked at the Wollongong Hellenic Club.

Mr Constantinou said he expected the menu would be similar under the new operator.

He and Mrs Constantinou will move from their home beside the kiosk to a house in Dapto. They would leave behind an admiring staff, employee Monique Paddy said.

"They're so kind and gentle and this place won't be the same without them."

Another employee, Emilie McGuinness, said the workplace was "like family".

"They are the most beautiful people I've ever met. I don't think I'll ever have bosses like them in a million years."