A long-standing local business is closing its doors in September.

“The end is unfortunately inevitable. I’m getting older, my staff are getting older and there are no more young people coming in,” said David Screech, owner of Greggs Furniture.

Thousands of Vancouver Islanders have trusted Greggs Furniture for reupholstery and custom work for over 70 years.

“We have as much work as we can handle. Lack of work is not a problem,” Screech said.

They are known for making items that last for generations.

“We have lived in our house for 47 years, we have had about 16 renovations and many of them have been carried out by Greggs Reupholstery,” said Tom Essery, a regular customer.

Screech has been at the helm since 2000, but started working at Greggs in 1981 at the age of 21.

“I started working on the trucks in the workshop,” he said Friday.

His entire working life has been here. It is even the place where he met his wife.

“I don’t know why I’m getting so emotional, but it’s been a really difficult decision,” Screech said.

Greggs Furniture will close at the end of September and the company will focus solely on reupholstery.

“There are no young people entering the construction industry,” Screech said.

He says he sees the end of Greggs Furniture as inevitable, and calls reupholstering in Canada a dying art. For the professionals he does find, Screech says they find Victoria too expensive to live in. The tipping point for Screech, however, is the daily chaos on his doorstep.

“I just can’t deal with it anymore,” said Screech, who has been vocal about his concerns for the past three years. “There’s vandalism, our vehicles have been broken into, people have broken into the store and yelled and screamed.”

Everything is on sale in September as a way to thank the people of Vancouver Island for their support.

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