30 Mar 2020

Coronavirus: Lockdown ends shop assistant's career early

2:37 pm on 30 March 2020

Even before coronavirus threw a spanner in the works in terms of everyone's plans, Saunders Shoes in Masterton was destined to shut its doors tomorrow for the final time.

Saunders Shoes in Masterton.

Saunders Shoes in Masterton is set to close tomorrow Photo: Google Maps

But because it had to close last week, Sally Summers has gone into retirement a few days earlier than planned.

Had she made it until tomorrow, it would have marked the 70th anniversary of her starting her career there as a shop assistant.

She said technology has made running the business easier.

"Well running from money in the door to now a computer, which is a lot easier and you've got your hand on the button every day and you know exactly what you're doing."

Summers said the shop had lovely customers and a lot of very good clientele - and the shop celebrated its 70th celebration last August.

"We had a big celebration ... a lovely morning, a cake and we were given a holiday and been very well treated for the 70."

  • If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre

Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus: