The buyer of Dubbo's Mitre 10 says they are looking forward to building long-term relationships with customers and to the Brennan's team becoming part of the Petrie's team.
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The store's staff of about 40 people would continue to have their roles after the ownership change on March 30, Petrie's managing director Phillip Petrie said.
"Absolutely, we have given Michael [Brennan] a commitment and we've spoken to all the staff individually, so certainly that's always our intention and they just become part of a much larger Petrie's family now," Mr Petrie said.
Brennan's Mitre 10 managing director Michael Brennan announced on Monday the business started by his father Frank in 1976 had been sold to the Petrie Mitre 10 Group, which started out at Mudgee.
The buyer counts the existing employees as a strength of the Dubbo business.
"There's such a long-term history there with some of the staff, a lot of knowledge, they know the customers, they know their products, they've solved a lot of problems over the years and that's the key to our business really, is we provide solutions for people's problems," Mr Petrie said.
The purchase of the Dubbo store, long on the Petries' "wishlist", takes the group to nine stores, adding to the five already in central western NSW and three on the North Coast.
Mr Petrie said it would be "business as usual" when they took over the reins and paid tribute to the Brennans, whose store had won multiple awards.
The key things will be very similar to what Michael and Frank have built their business on the back of and that's around being mighty helpful.
- Petrie's Mitre 10 managing director Phillip Petrie
"The key things will be very similar to what Michael and Frank have built their business on the back of and that's around being mighty helpful," Mr Petrie said.
"Providing great service, building long-term relationships with our staff for starters, because they're the people who are actually the face of our business, but also building really long-term and solid relationships with our customers and then the community as well."
Petrie's Mitre 10 was founded in 1986 when Mal Petrie, Phillip's father, bought the Mudgee business. The group is headed up by Phillip and Annette Petrie and Michael and Annette Fergus.
Mr Petrie, whose familiarity with Dubbo started in his junior rugby league playing days, said problem-solving had always been rewarding because "we actually become part of that journey".
He also gained a buzz from giving "our people the opportunity".
We're providing good career paths for young people and older people coming through our business, and provide a real sense of family in our business.
- Petrie's Mitre 10 managing director Phillip Petrie
"We're providing good career paths for young people and older people coming through our business, and provide a real sense of family in our business," Mr Petrie said.
"You know, we genuinely care for each other, so that's what I really enjoy now, building up that.
"It's a passion of ours to provide service and care about people, whether it be customers or staff."
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
