Pair notches up 69 years
FROM hand-wrapped papers to whiz-bang technology and machines that have removed the guesswork, Toby Eather and Regina Millard have seen it all.
On Friday, both will wave goodbye to their jobs at Hynes Newsagency after more than a third of a century at the store.
Mrs Millard started working there on February 15, 1977, and Mr Eather a year later.
"It's a bit daunting, exciting and sad at the same time," Mrs Millard said.
She said she would miss her customers and fellow staff members alike.
"I'm happy and sad too because I have been here more than half of my life and I have my customers that always pop down and see me."
Mr Eather said though he was sad to leave his job behind, the one thing he wouldn't miss was the "dreaded red notes".
"The best part was coming back from a job and not having the red notes left on the bench saying we had missed someone in the delivery, which sometimes happened," Mr Eather said.
The pair remembered back when accounts were completed manually and newspapers were wrapped in a brown strip of paper. "A lot has changed since then," Mrs Millard said.
Hynes Newsagency owner Maurie Hynes said both of his senior staff members would be sadly missed.
"They must be good staff because a silly fellow like me couldn't run a successful business like this without them," Mr Hynes said.
"It will be sad to see them go, but we have been most fortunate to have them.
"We have got replacements so it's all still business as usual," he said.
Farewell
The pair will have their final shifts on Friday and will celebrate next Friday night with a staff dinner.
