A DEDICATED couple who has run a much-loved hardware store in Drumchapel are devastated to be shutting up shop after more than 30 years.
Iain Burns, 58, and wife Elizabeth, 57, took over the Household Electrical store at Drumchapel Shopping Centre’s indoor market 32 years ago.
Their son Jordan, who grew up in the area with his brothers Allister, Jamie and Iain, described the shop as a “big part of the community”.
He said: “Years ago my mum’s friend owned the unit and was selling up. He asked my mum if she wanted it. She said ‘yeah, I’ll take a chance and took it on a whim.
“My uncle Tommy and auntie Maureen gave my mum and dad money to buy the unit and my mum worked there through four pregnancies, and all the troubles me and my brothers brought!
“All the wee old buddies that don’t see a lot of people go down for a chat. They’re loyal to my mum and dad. They’d rather give them the money than anywhere else, and they always make a point of telling them that.
“My mum and dad are compassionate, and they take time to listen to everybody.
“The shop is everything to them. The only way I could put it is, years ago when we were going on family holidays, closing the shop for a week was the absolute last resort. There was always an auntie or an uncle who would look after it. If we were away or did go on holiday, they were non-stop thinking about it.
“They worked their backsides off to make it work, which in return allowed them to buy a house a bring us all up and have a nice life.”
Elizabeth, who also currently works in the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, will be handing over their beloved shop keys without Iain today, as he is currently in hospital.
Last week, while working in the shop, he was getting an item down for a customer when he fell off a step ladder.
Jordan said: “He goes up and down this step ladder on a daily basis but fell and knocked himself unconscious. An ambulance was phoned, and he’s been in the hospital ever since. He’s got five broken ribs.
“The nurses are saying he’s very lucky to be alive because he could have punctured his lung or kidney.
“My mum does the two jobs as they’ve always run the shop together, but my dad has always done it full-time. Knowing it was going to close, he managed to get himself a truck licence and he got a start date for a new job but that’s all up in the air now because of his injuries.
“He’ll be absolutely gutted to be missing handing the keys over; he won’t get to say a proper goodbye to the shop or the customers.”
The couple, who now live in Erskine, are directors of the indoor market and are also stepping down from that role.
Jordan said: “The first lockdown was really bad financially for them, they weren’t making any money in the shop. Other big retailers have been built nearby recently, so most people are buying out of these places now.
“They decided that was it for them and once the word got out that they were thinking about closing, a group who run markets elsewhere came to speak to them about taking over the markets.
“I think they’re going to be lost now and looking to try to fill a void because although the customers come in for a chat, they enjoy it too. They have so many happy memories.”
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