Long-time main street businesses close down

The Goulburn Dimmeys store is closing early in the new year.

It begins its closing down sale today.

Goulburn store manager Geoff Maguire said the local store was closing because the retail chain was closing down nationally.

"It is not just Goulburn, it is a national decision. The whole chain is closing, which is 30 stores across Australia," he said.

He said Goulburn had been good to Dimmeys.

"Goulburn as a whole has been good to us here at Dimmeys, but in wider Australia it has not been so good recently," he said.

"I just didn't want to put a closing down advertisement in the paper and not do the right thing by the customers in telling them.

"The customers have been very loyal to us since we first started here. We have watched them grow."

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He has been with the store since it first opened in the city.

"I have been with Dimmeys for 35 years. I have been in Goulburn since we first started here," he said.

"My son was born here and he is now 23.

He said Dimmeys had been a good supporter of the city.

"We have been here for 24 years. We have been a big part of the town," Mr Maguire said.

"It was Grace Bros before we took over."

Dimmeys Goulburn currently employs 10 staff," he said.

"We have 10 staff here, but unfortunately, there is no way forward for us with the company," he said.

"Things are constantly changing.

"We are commencing a closing down sale as of Wednesday. It all has to go, but we are not too sure how long it will take for us to clear out of our stock."

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Meanwhile, the popular Cafe Book is also closing its doors soon.

Owner Peter Clark said the cafe would close as of November 26.

"It is sad, but it is the end of the lease," Mr Clark said.

"We have been here about 4 and a half years. We have loyal customers. We will miss them."

A book sale is on at the cafe until they are all gone and all books are on sale for $1.

It's not all doom and gloom. Some new businesses are starting up in the main street as well.

One of these is Mincove Homes, a family-owned business based in Illawarra.

They are operating out of the former Phil Murray Optical Dispensary shop at 194 Auburn St.

They open today.

New homes consultant with Mincove Lesley McNeill said Mincove is a professional, custom builder.

"I left the Illawarra in January because I wanted to come back to Goulburn to live. I love it here," she said.

"Then, six week's ago the company came here and did some research and now they will be operating in Goulburn.

"I bought a house here four years ago but could not get a job here, so I went to the Illawarra to work for Mincove.

"I really wanted to come back here though. Now I am back I intend to stay here forever."

The shop in Auburn St is set up like a mini-display centre.

"We have a display home going up in The Tillage and we are building for someone in Joseph's Gate as well as in Marulan," Ms McNeill said.

"The shopfront has a full kitchen and bathroom in it so you can come in and see the product."

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