Two independent Wellington retail institutions, with 111 operating years between them, have announced they're closing, reflecting the challenges currently facing small businesses.
Gubb's Shoe Shop and Hurricane Denim say they want to exit while they're still on top but acknowledge it's getting harder for independent retailers.
The Gubb family business has been going strong for 76 years and been in five different locations.
"Nothing lasts forever. We had a bloody good lick and it just felt like we're getting older and town's not the same, it's lost it's sparkle I think," Paul Gubb said.
"We used to sell a court shoe made by Bellini in Auckland, it was called Beeco and it was the hottest little number in town. It was just a medium heel, and it was multiple pairs every day, mainly black and navy," he said.
But reflecting changing lifestyles and fashions, it's slippers rather than court shoes that fly off the shelves.
Around the corner, Hurricane Denim is also looking to close.
"It's just time. You could go down a rabbit hole of all the reasons but we're not going down the rabbit hole, we are just celebrating 35 years of having a great business in the Wellington CBD," owner David Byrne said.
However, pressure on independent retailers is felt all across the country, with many advocating customers support local to get them through tough times.
Retail New Zealand's CEO Greg Harford believes "about 30% of Retail NZ's small retailer members are telling us they're not confident they're going to survive the next 12 months".
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