A trailblazer of Dubbo's retail world is preparing to wind up her much-loved furniture and homewares store as she heads into retirement.
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For almost three decades Freedom franchisee Chris Nugent has prided herself on delivering products and service that make customers happy.
Her vision to bring a new offering to Dubbo led to the 1993 opening of the brand's first store in a regional centre.
Since then it's become a mecca for customers across a vast tract of NSW from Bathurst to Bourke.
But Mrs Nugent is calling time on her long run in retail, which extends back to 1983 with the Water Brothers Waterbeds business in Erskine Street.
The Freedom store in Hawthorn Street will cease to trade at the end of September, although its franchisee reports they will be fulfilling "every customer order that's in the pipeline right now, and while we're closing down", and notes Freedom as a company will continue to service customers.
Mrs Nugent has loved her venture, and day to day listened to people "to help them get what they really want" for their homes.
"It's sad to close, but it's time to move on to the next stage," she said.
"We would have loved to have been able to sell it, but that didn't happen, so we have to do it this way.
"I'm definitely going to miss doing this, and I'm sure that everybody in the district will be missing Freedom in Dubbo."
Highlights included winning Freedom franchisee of the year in 2012. Drought had been "tough", with sales taking a hit while wages and overheads remained.
"This last one seems to have been one that brought a lot of people to their knees," Mrs Nugent said.
"People would still come shopping and like to have beautiful things in their home, but they would just say to us, 'when it rains, I'm going to get myself a new sofa'."
Daughter Alice Wise says her mother has always worked hard to make sure everyone was looked after.
"Her staff are like family and her customers are her friends," she said.
The soon-to-be retiree has setting up a new home and garden in town on the horizon and "plenty of things to keep [her] busy".
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.
