Long-serving Whanganui Farmers department store staff retire

Long-serving Farmers staff Colleen Whetton (left) and Margaret Terrey, along with their friend and colleague Robyn McGuiness (absent), will retire from the department store this week.

More than 90 combined years of experience and knowledge will walk out the door of Whanganui's Farmers department store when three long-serving employees retire.

Robyn McGuiness (34 years), Margaret Terrey (33 years) and Colleen Whetton (24 years) finish up this week.

Store manager Trude Fixter says they will be "immensely missed" by colleagues and customers.

McGuiness started in the home appliances department, moved to manchester and housewares then menswear. For the past 30 years she has been the store receiver for incoming stock.

Terrey began in the housewares department.

"We sold potbelly stoves, power tools, hand tools, really good china, lawn mowers, cycles, axes," Terrey said.

"I spent seven years there and then we moved to the new store in Victoria Ave and I spent the next seven years in shoes. Then I moved to manchester and housewares where I worked with Colleen and I've been in housewares and manchester ever since."

Whetton worked as a casual for four months before becoming a permanent staff member. After working with Terrey in manchester and housewares, she moved to ladieswear then spent a few years working in the office. In more recent years she has worked on receiving inwards goods and in the ladieswear and lingerie department.

"There have been a lot of changes over the years, moving from the old store to the new store and changes to stock," Whetton said.

"The tills have changed over the years and there have been cash handling and banking system changes."

They had fond memories of the Farmers float in the annual Christmas parade and of studying together for "exams" they had to pass to get a pay rise.

You can't buy that knowledge. It comes with time and sometimes companies forget that. Is the business losing an asset? Absolutely. They are amazing ladies.

Trude Fixter

Fixter said it was inspirational to have three people who had worked closely together for so many years.

"They are going to be immensely missed.

"You can't buy that knowledge. It comes with time and sometimes companies forget that. Is the business losing an asset? Absolutely. They are amazing ladies."

The three friends are planning to spend more time with their families, with grandchildren a priority.

"We will miss the customers," Whetton said.

"A lot of them we have served over a long time so you get to know them. We will miss the staff. It's a family and you spend a lot more time with your work family than your own family. They have been good years."

The three women retire this week with a lunch for staff on Whetton's last day on Thursday, a high tea for McGuiness and Terrey on Friday and a meal with current and former staff planned for next week.