Kings Antiques to close in early 2023 as Martin and Judy look to retire

But as Mr King's health has declined, and bricks and mortar retail has experienced a downturn, the couple have decided its time to shut up shop and move on to the next phase of their lives.

Kings Antiques will commence its closing down sale from Saturday, January 7, offering substantial discounts in the hopes of clearing stock before the George Street store closes its doors for the final time.

No official last day has been chosen yet, with Mrs King saying the sale will likely continue for two to three months, allowing for a gradual transition from business owners to retirees.

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She said they have mixed feelings about the impending closure.

"It's a happy and sad thing. We're happy because we're positive about retiring to do things that we want to do in our own time, but we're very sad that Bathurst will be losing our antique shop," she said.

When Kings Antiques opened in Bathurst in 2013, it was somewhat of a continuation of Mr King's career.

While Mrs King was born and bred in Bathurst, Mr King is from the United Kingdom (UK), where he had a 40-year career in the antiques trade, primarily in the area of auctions.

He had never owned a resale shop before, but decided to go in that direction upon moving to Bathurst in 2013 with his wife.

"He's always had a background in antiques and, hence, why they're English - English antiques. That's what he knows. When we started we had four forty-foot containers, fresh from England," Mrs King remembers.

It was clearly a good decision to open a shop, with Kings Antiques winning Bathurst's best new business award that same year.

Over the years, they have built up a loyal clientele of both locals and visitors, particularly from Sydney, who have frequented the shop in search for English antiques.

Mrs King said the business became somewhat of a tourist attraction, leading to a close relationship with the Bathurst Visitor Information Centre (BVIC).

"People, when they're travelling, they actually Google antiques and they might stop and have a coffee and walk around while on a road trip," she said.

Kings Antiques sourced a lot of stock from the UK in the early years of the business, but as time has gone on the way items came to be in the shop has changed.

"A lot of older people are downsizing themselves before they become deceased estates. It used to be only deceased estates," Mrs King said.

"Now, I reckon it would be at least half or more elderly couples downsizing themselves. That's a change.

"They're making the choice and they like to sell [their possessions] to antique shops because they know whoever buys them are going to love them."

They've also seen the shift in retail, with more people looking to shop online instead of in store, and witnessed a changing attitude towards antiques.

"Tastes have changed over the last 20 years and what was popular then isn't now, but there are still many people who appreciate antiques or mid-century vintage, who want to decorate their homes with pieces they have chosen for their individuality, style and quality," Mr King said.

He said "the antiques trade isn't dead", but it is changing.

"Someone prepared to work hard, physically and mentally, embrace technology with perhaps a side hustle, such as furniture restoration/painting, could still make a great success out of antiques and collectables," Mrs King added.

These factors, along with Mr King's declining health, were all considered in making the decision to close.

While the Kings will miss the store, they are looking forward to entering retirement.

They plan to spend more time with family and friends, travel, and enjoy their hobbies, such as reading and gardening.

Mr King might also do "a bit of wheeling and dealing".

As they prepare to close, they want to thank everyone who has supported the business over the years, particularly Dan Cove and the BVIC team, and Greg Fry, who's been described as a man of many talents.

"It's been a joy," Mrs King said.

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