The End Of An Era

Today is the end of an era for our family. Sunday the 31st May, 2009 is the last day of owning and operating our bakery, Westbrook On The Rise Bakery.

We have been in business since the 20th December 1993, except for a 2 year break 1997 - 1999. It has been a long journey.

I sit here to write this morning, to record our journey for the sake of family history. The bakery has been a labour of love at times and also of hate at others. At this point we are glad for it to all be over. The time of small family business in this economic time is over. We have been bought by an expanding company that is based in Sydney. They have purchased this shop sight unseen, internet viewing only. That alone has boggled my brain! The new owner finally arrived yesterday to see his new business.

A bakery that operates seven days a week, with Brendon the only baker, except for some casual help three days per week has been a true test of our capabilities. Mental, emotional and physical. There is not a week goes by that we do have to change staff rosters in some way, someone always wants something different. We are exhausted.


This morning I went to the bakery early to take some last pictures. Brendon is a very good baker having won many, many awards along the way. This has been his creative outlet and together we built our business from a very small, rundown shop in a rural town to a large business with two shops and at times almost thirty employees. Eighteen months ago we sold our larger shop and have been operating the small shop only. This proved harder than we thought, with limited staff and the expectation to be open seven days each week.

As of tonight we are unemployed. I am excited and scared about the future. I know Brendon will find work easily. He has already been offered two positions and just has to decide which he will take. He will have about three weeks off first though. I have been considering my options and applying for administration work, preferably in a professional environment. My creative side is tugging hard though. Maybe I will be able to do both.

Waves of emotion keep engulfing me this morning. I do not know if I am happy or sad. Happy for me, sad for Brendon. He has loved being creative with his product and he is so good at it. I guess that is why he has been offered work so readily.

I think I am just exhausted. Mentally and physically. The work that still lies ahead of me to clean up the business side of the shop is almost overwhelming. I will forge ahead with it though, just so that it is over with as quickly as possible.

Stocktake this afternoon and some cheques deposited into our account tomorrow and that will be the end. Our freezer is loaded with some or our favourites to enjoy in the coming weeks, the children made sure of that - especially Daddy's sausage rolls!

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new life!