![FOR SALE: Libby Gentle is attempting to sell her kitchenware business in Thirroul via Gumtree. She listed it on the classified advertisement website on Boxing Day. Picture: Adam McLean FOR SALE: Libby Gentle is attempting to sell her kitchenware business in Thirroul via Gumtree. She listed it on the classified advertisement website on Boxing Day. Picture: Adam McLean](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/nxytTGiVvgkfKtUJaBBBHD/2b00f02b-7f99-4e87-8e6a-bf4279f02f9a.jpg/r0_202_4785_2903_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Online marketplace Gumtree is a popular destination on Boxing Day for those looking to off-load unwanted Christmas presents.
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However, an Illawarra business owner decided to list something far more valuable for sale than undesired clothing items, Star Wars merchandise or shaver kits.
Libby Gentle listed her Thirroul kitchenware and cookware business, Fundamentals for Living, for sale on Gumtree on Boxing Day.
It has an asking price of $50,000. The price is exclusive of stock, which she said will be at value.
Ms Gentle, 70, said she was inspired by a colleague who had some success in selling their business via Gumtree.
“Also, agents charge a fortune,” she said.
“They really are just too expensive.
“You cannot build into your sale an agent’s fee. You can when you’re selling your house or something. Your business is what it is.
“So for me, for an agent to take a percentage of what I’ve spent years of my life building up, gets in the craw.
Agents’ fees are ridiculous, and it’s my life’s-blood here we’re talking about…
- Libby Gentle
“So I’m going to try and do it myself. Having said that, if I’m not successful I probably will have to do it (via an agent),” she laughed.
“Agents’ fees are ridiculous, and it’s my life’s-blood here we’re talking about… I’m just not prepared to do that.”
Ms Gentle has owned the business, located in Thirroul Plaza, for 12 years.
She previously listed the business on Gumtree about a year ago, which she said had attracted some interest.
“I just thought I’d give it a whirl – nothing ventured, nothing gained,” she said.
“(Last year) I did get a lot of tyre-kicking; a lot of people just asking silly questions and things like that.
“But it’s worth it to go through… You’ve got to do that either way.
“You can get that the other way too.
“(The eventual buyer) could be a random someone looking for a car - I mean, you just don’t know.”
Ms Gentle said she was looking to sell the business due to her plans to retire.
“A lot of people are moving to this area and looking for a lifestyle change, and I think a lot of people would love to have their own business, or the opportunity to have their own business,” she said.
“I think it’d be a local person to do this (buy the business).
“But my client base is people who commute, as well as locals.”