The man, who had his face covered by a scarf, approached the Schaefer Street Store about 7.20am and attempted to enter.

Co-owner Tracy Stenhouse, 57, saw the man approaching with a knife and tried to lock the glass door as the man struggled to gain access.

“When I saw the knife, that was what really terr- ified me,” she said.

“I’m shaken, but not deterred.

“It’s not something you would wish upon anyone.

“It’s put me off a bit, but it hasn’t deterred me, I think it was an isolated incident.”

Ms Stenhouse said she “wasn’t thinking a hell of a lot at all” when the man tried to force his way inside.

“I was just making sure he didn’t get into the shop,” she said.

“It feels like it only lasted a second, but my daughter thinks it lasted at least two minutes.

“It’s not something you expect to happen to you.

“You hear about it happening to other people, but you expect to be the one person who stays safe all the time.”

The business, which Ms Stenhouse bought with her husband six weeks ago, was closed for about nine hours and re-opened for dinner.

The offender, described as thin with a green top and dark pants, arrived from Kotthoff Street and left in the same direction.

Police “flooded the area” in search of the man and dusted for prints at the business, and were still searching for him last night.

Security cameras will be installed at the business.

Inspector Anthony Moodie said the man had been holding a knife with a black blade, and also had a dark cap and dark running shoes.

“While no person was physically injured, this type of incident can have a major emotional impact on members of the community involved in such crimes,” he said.

“Detectives are seeking (people) to assist them in their investigation.”