RELIVING MEMORIES: Fay Bayliss, Val Arthur, Fay Fairbrass and Margaret Scott share morning tea at Lloyds’ farewell for Val.
AFTER 35 years at Lloyds Margaret River, manager Val Arthur is farewelling the shop to become a ‘grey nomad’ with husband Doug.
Val has seen a lot of change in those years, starting part time at the shop when it was owned by the Adelaide Timber Company.
“It was hard work,” she said. “When I first started it was totally hardware, camping and fishing gear.”
Lloyd and Anne Shepherdson bought the shop in 1984.
When they bought their Station Rd property for the timber and hardware business, the main street shop became the “girls’ challenge”.
Val helped it to evolve into an iconic shop with a shed out the back that carries some of their gift and homeware range, and is a veteran of the store’s popular carpark sales.
Lloyds now draws return customers from all over the world.
The shop hosted a morning tea for Val on Friday, and old friends and new dropped in to wish her well.
“I will miss it,” she said.
Doug, she said, retired two and half years ago and has had to wait for her – they intend to take off on their travels at the end of July.
New manager Sylvia Skivinis said she knew she had “big shoes to fill”.