A FAMILIAR face in Milford Haven, will be shutting up shop for the last time this Saturday, when she retires after 25 years.

Joanne Collins – known to many in the town as Joanne Hunt – has owned the Bettabuys store on Charles Street for more than two decades, but has decided to close.

The entrepreneurial mum-of-two worked in the oil industry, before starting her own market stall, and then setting up shop in the town.

Despite now living in Narberth, the 53-year-old has remained close to her roots, and still knows many of her customers by name.

“I will miss the girls, and the camaraderie,” she said. “The staff have worked here a long time, and we have all grown together, they’re fantastic.”

Joanne said she would also be sad to say goodbye to her loyal customers, whose lives she has shared in over the last 25 years.

“They’re wonderful, I remember when I had my first son, I had so many cards and a big sign in the window saying ‘it’s a boy!’” she said.

“I’ve watched people grow from little kids, and now they’re bringing in kids of their own.”

Unsurprisingly, the years have also brought the occasional awkward customer too.

“I once had a woman bring back a packet of pegs, with the washing still attached – she had clearly left them on the line for about a month – and I ended up giving her money back, and washing the clothes for her!”

Asked how life as a small business owner had changed in recent years, Joanne said the increase in internet shopping, and ‘breaks’ for big businesses and out-of-town developers had hit independent shops hard.

“In the early days all the shops were full, Charles Street was amazing,” she said.

But, she said that the growth of small towns like Narberth proved there was still a demand for quirky, independent shops.

Joanne has not decided what her next challenge will be, but after taking some time to see her children, friends, and walk her two dogs, she would like to pass on her skills to the next generation.

“Retail is a hard market for young people to break into now,” she said.

“Young people need role models they can look up to. I was told in school that I would never aspire to anything, but with hard work you can achieve great things.”