After 54 years, Doug and Ann Brown will farewell their staff and customers at Brown's Tyre Service as they roll on into retirement.
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The pair have sold up and are handing the reins to Telescope Tyres on October 1.
For Doug, the scent of rubber is as familiar as the back of his hand and is a part of his childhood.
It was Doug's father Steve who established the business back on October 12, 1966, after eight years with Goodyear, first in Sydney, then in Tamworth.
He moved his family - wife Jean and children Christine and Doug - to Gunnedah for the venture, setting up in a shed out the back of 68 Conadilly Street, next door to the current premises.
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Steve started out with just himself, one tyre fitter and one sales representative and gradually built the business up over the years.
In 1970, he expanded to Narrabri, and in 1982, set up shop in Wee Waa as well.
Young Doug used to help out in the school holidays and quickly became familiar with his father's trade.
He was "always interested in cars" and enjoyed work in the business, but didn't originally plan to follow in his father's footsteps. Instead, he found it was "a natural progression" as the years went on.
Doug officially became an employee in 1978 as a sales representative and decided to "make a career out of it".
The business moved next door in 1977, into the purpose-built shed the tyre service is still housed in today.
Steve retired in 1984 and Doug took over the running of the business. Steve died of cancer in 1986 and the Wee Waa and Narrabri businesses were sold.
Two years later, Doug met Ann in Tamworth where she was working as a nurse. They married in 1989 and welcomed two children into their new family - Steve junior in 1990 and Laura in 1991.
In 1990, the Browns bought a tyre service in Tamworth then sold it in 2003. In 2006, they started a secondary business, an off-road service, and found plenty of works in the mines. They sold the business off in 2012.
"We've been fairly busy. That's why I need to retire," Doug said.
Doug said he and Ann started talking about retirement in about 2015 so Ann transitioned out of doing the bookwork after ten years. Interested buyers fell through but Doug was still determined to sell up by the time he turned 65.
The Browns' last day in the Conadilly premises is September 30 but their 14 employees will be kept on after the changeover and Steve Hatch will remain as the manager after 10 years with the business.
Doug said the new owner would retain the name and was also looking at putting on a few more staff, especially as the likelihood of a bumper harvest becomes stronger.
We've really appreciated the support we've had in the 54 years our family has been in business.
- Doug Brown
The Browns said they are confident they are leaving the business in good hands.
"We wanted to sell it to the right people. We weren't going to let our customers and our staff down," Doug said.
"I think it will be good because there will be new ideas coming into the business with the new owners so it will sort of give it a new lease of life in a way."
The pair said one of their favourite memories from their time in business was a call-out on Christmas Eve about ten years ago.
Then-employee Tim drove to Barraba to help out a farmer who had a reindeer antler stuck in his tractor tyre.
"We all had a joke that he'd run over Rudolph," Doug said.
To this day, the Browns use the antler as a Christmas decoration.
Now at the age of 63, Doug is preparing for a life of leisure after working 12-hour days for so many years.
"It's been a bit hard to get my head around it but we are looking forward to it," he said.
"I've walked through that same door for 42 years here and I think I've walked through it enough.
"It will be nice to have a bit more free time."
Ann said she had "mixed feelings" about farewelling the tyre service.
"I'm excited, but I've also really enjoyed having all our customers who have been so supportive over the years," she said.
The Browns said they'd like to thank their staff for their dedication and their customers for their loyalty.
"We've really appreciated the support we've had in the 54 years our family has been in business," Doug said.
The pair plan to play golf, travel in their caravan and enjoy the fact that their trips away will no longer be limited to weekends.
"I think it's just exciting thinking we haven't got to be back [in town] for Monday. We can come back Tuesday," Ann said.