For Mary Borella, who worked at the store for 20 years before retiring in 2002, it’s a sorrowful sign of the times. 

“I’m very sad about it, it’s sad for Albury as a town because it was a lovely shop,” she said.

“You could get everything there and the service was impeccable.

“Retail has changed a lot since I worked, internet shopping these days is big business and you can shop 24 hours a day.

“There’s so much competition out there it’s very different to when I retired.”

When the Albury store opened in 1980, it transformed the retail market and was the first store in the city to offer discounts and sales.

“Mr (Jim) Thomas was a very hard business man but he was a good boss.

“He was very good at what he did and encouraged his managers to be out in the community doing community work, he was very generous in his donations to community groups.”

Mrs Borella started at the store in 1982 and within six months was manager. 

“I have lots of lovely memories of the whole place,” she said.

“I worked with beautiful staff who were very well trained.

“It was a lovely place to be.”

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Mrs Borella vividly remembers the lines stretching along Dean Street during their busy sale periods. 

In October, the store’s parent company, Thomas Group, said they would be closing all stores nationally.

“It’s a great loss for Albury,” Mrs Borella said.