THE owner of a Gwent convenience store is retiring after a massive 57 years working at the shop.
Jan Rowlands, 71, first started working at the shop in St Matthew's Road as a paper girl when she was 12.
Today the shop is even named after her - Jan Rowlands Convenience Store.
And now, 57 years later, she is preparing to retire.
Daughter Kate Rowlands, 50, said: “The shop means the world to my mam.
"It’s been her life. She loves all her friends and customers for the loyalty that has been shown to her she will miss them all.
“It’s so emotional, it’s like a bereavement that the shop is going. I was brought up in the shop and its part of our family.
“The shop is her baby, she is devastated that she can’t work in there any more due to her health, she’s not very well at all.
“She would have gone on another 10 years if she could.”
Jan Rowlands in the convenience store. Picture: Kate Rowlands
Jan, who has osteoporosis was unable to continue running the shop due to ill health, and completed her last day at the store four weeks ago.
Since then, daughter Kate has been running the shop, with Sarah and Michael Passmore taking over on Tuesday May 2.
Kate said: “It means so much, the messages I've received and stories I've heard about my mam and the shop.
“She could write a book and it would be a best seller, but everyone is saying you can tell her anything and she wouldn't repeat a word.”
To celebrate Jan the family are holding a surprise party today, Sunday, April 28, at 4pm.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel