MARTIN King has spent the last decade giving preloved antiques a new lease on life, and now the time has come start a new chapter of his own. King's Antiques and Collectables closed its doors for the final time on Sunday, March 5, with owners Martin and Judy King deciding it's time to retire. "Today is the last day, we'll be here during the week but today is the last day we'll be open to the public," Mr King said. "It's finally come to it. We've still got some stuff so the charity shops will do very well out of us because whatever's left is going to charity." Mr King began his sales career over in Birmingham, England, at the age of 13 when he was a barrow boy at the markets. He was a "man on the hammer" for 42 years before moving to Australia, and was also the mayor of Amersham for a time. After moving to Bathurst, Mrs King decided she didn't want to return to teaching, so the couple decided to open King's Antiques and Collectables. "The only thing I knew was antiques and restoration," Mr King said. The store has sold a wide range of items over the past 10 years; from furniture to paintings, collectable dolls to china, and more. Everything that came through the door had a past, some more significant than others, and Mr King would ensure any item with a rich history was sold along with its story. While the shopfront chapter of King's Antiques and Collectables has come to an end, Mr King said he may still dally in the field. "I might still do a bit of dealing online, just watch this space," he said. But for now, Mr and Mrs King are looking forward to spending more time with their family, especially their seven grandchildren. Mr King said the shop holds a lot of great memories, but it's time to embark on a new adventure. "I've met a lot of friendly people here in Bathurst, it's a lovely town," he said. "It's been lovely, it's been a nice journey."