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HE fixes his tie, straightens his jacket then hangs his tailor’s tape up for the last time. It’s been 58 years since Graham Henderson first stepped into menswear shop Messer and Opie as a 14-year-old employee. Now, after serving three generations at the business, Graham looks to life’s next chapter. “I’ve been thinking about retirement for a while now,” Graham said. “I’ve seen some big changes around here, especially the construction of the Bridge Mall. “I’ve loved the people I worked with – they are great friends – and the customers I have dealt with. “I don’t know what I’m going to do for the future yet. I’ve got a big vegie garden that needs to be tended to.” Employees at Messer and Opie are more or less family and another part of the furniture will also depart in coming weeks. After 44 years, Bernie Franklin will be retiring and is to seek employment in the sun as a gardener and maintenance man. The business will farewell more than 100 years of combined service to the Ballarat community with the departure of Graham and Bernie. Messer and Opie was sold to Hobart buyer Edward Harry and a silent partner last month, after being a Ballarat business for 78 years. Mr Harry said staff who wanted to stay would, while Stephen Opie and Michael Messer will remain as senior management at the business. “The business has always been a very, very good business and something the community certainly felt was necessary in Ballarat,” Mr Harry said.

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