East Corrimal Fruit Market owner Bill Kazepidis, 61. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI
After 35 years of very early mornings and late nights, East Corrimal Fruit Market's long-serving owner Bill Kazepidis is looking forward to a holiday.
The well-known shopkeeper is retiring from full-time work and plans to close the market early this week.
He thanked the East Corrimal community for supporting him over a long career.
"I will miss it badly but I'm getting too old - I'm nearly 62 years old and pushing 14 hours a day seven days a week is a little bit hard for me now.
"I'm cutting down on work, I will have a holiday and then decide what I'm going to do," he said.
"I'm going to go to Darwin to meet my grandchildren because I haven't even met them yet.
"I've got a four-year-old grandson and a one-year-old granddaughter."
Mr Kazepidis said the time was right to shut the Murray Road market after he leased the larger neighbouring property, which he also owns, to FoodWorks to open a supermarket.
He hopes a pharmacy might now move into the smaller shop because the area needs one.
He thanked everyone for their support.
