After 40 years, iconic South Surrey and 91原创 business K&D Furniture will be later this year.

But that doesn鈥檛 mean it won鈥檛 be open for business right to the last minute, according to owners Henry and Allyson Chenier, who have started winding down operations at both locations after deciding the timing was right for them to retire.

After a period of stock-taking, the stores will reopen for a by-invitation sale 鈥渇or previous customers and members of the community鈥� on Wednesday and Thursday (March 7 and 8).

After that, the doors will be open for general customers, they said.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 want any customers feeling we鈥檙e not going to honour or complete any orders we have and any sales we make,鈥� Allyson 鈥� daughter of store founders Kirk and Daryl Taylor 鈥� said.

鈥淭hey have a personal guarantee it will all be delivered and everything will be done.鈥�

鈥淲e don鈥檛 want anyone to feel abandoned,鈥� added Henry.

The decision to close is entirely their own, he noted.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going out on our own accord,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a bankruptcy, or bank-forced.鈥�

鈥淚t was our time to retire,鈥� Allyson explained.

The store leases were all expiring, they added, and with the idea of retirement already on the table, they weren鈥檛 about to sign any new long-term agreements.

Allyson pointed out that, while she and her husband are the second generation in the company, there are no plans for a continuing family dynasty.

鈥淯nfortunately, our five daughters have their own careers and lives to occupy them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here was no hope of it going to the next level with them.

鈥淵ou鈥檇 think with five daughters, one of them would have stepped up,鈥� she added, with a chuckle.

Spending time with family is a large part of their motivation for calling it a day 鈥� the couple has six grandchildren, with one more on the way.

Allyson noted if her stress level was high during the interview it wasn鈥檛 about the decision to close the business, she said.

鈥淢y daughter Jennifer鈥檚 baby is due today 鈥� and I鈥檓 her coach,鈥� she added.

All joking aside, a succession plan would have been crucial to a continuing K&D presence in the furniture market, the Cheniers agree.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the type of industry that needs fresh blood, fresh thought and new ideas 鈥� we鈥檝e done it for 20 years and my parents did it for 20 years,鈥� Allyson said.

鈥淭hings are changing. The industry has become very competitive and there鈥檚 definitely less profitability. And there鈥檚 been an influx of imported product that鈥檚 brought price levels and quality levels further down. We鈥檝e strived to maintain quality but it鈥檚 made it difficult to be competitive.鈥�

They have received strong support in their decision from Allyson鈥檚 parents, they noted.

Henry, who has been in the furniture business 42 years 鈥� 32 of them with K&D 鈥� said he is looking forward to travelling, golfing and continuing K&D鈥檚 tradition of donating to community causes by volunteering on the boards of local charitable and service organizations.

Allyson said life after K&D might involve her interests in decorating, renovations and real estate.

鈥淚s there something else I鈥檝e never tried because I鈥檝e just done this?鈥� she wondered.

There are, she said, still pangs that come with the decision.

鈥淚 grew up in the business,鈥� Allyson said.

鈥淭his company was like a sibling to me, and when Henry and I bought it and took it over, it became like a child to us.鈥�

For Henry, too, the business is like a family member.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like the old Remington commercial, where the guy liked the shaver so much he bought the business,鈥� he quipped.

鈥淥nly with me, I liked it so much I married the daughter, too.鈥�