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35 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,O ctober 24,2019 insidehalton.com 1276 Cornwall Road, Unit C, Oakville Ontario, L6J 7W5 T: 905-845-0767 • F: 905-845-5552 • www.haxelllaw.com • lawyers@haxelllaw.com Personal Professional Service at Competitive Rates Buying? Selling? Re Call us for a quote at 905-845-0767 ext. 223Jameson Glas GOLDGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOLDLDGOLDLDLDLDLDLD 905-845-0767 ext. 223Jameson Glas Bid Now Bid Now forBiG SAViNGS at www.rotaryonlineauction.ca Help Yourself with Big Discounts & Help Us Help Others Bid NOW Bid NOW Bid NOW at www.rotaryonlineauction.ca November 2-16, 2019 THank YOU to the following Rotary supporters: Instant Imprints - 905 815 8296 • Oakville Beaver - 905 845 3824 Jackson Financial Planning Group - 289 245 1003 William B Kerr, Barrister - 905 842 8600 • Robertson Amusements Ltd - 519 942 1930 TE LL YO UR FR iEN dS Murron's Cabinetree, which has been a part of the downtown Oakville community since 1990, will soon be closing its doors for good.for good.f A sign recently ap- peared in front of the 215 Lakeshore Rd., E., proper- ty reading: "Just like your morning bread, we're toast! Thanks for occasion- ally buttering us! Store closing." Another sign in the win- dow reads, We Surrender. Although the Lake- shore Road Reconstruction and Streetscape Project continues to cause issues for businesses in the down-for businesses in the down-f town area, Murron's owner Murray Farncombe says that is not the main reason the high-end cottage furni- ture and decorative acces- sory store is shutting down. "The road is a contribut- ing factor, but it's not the main factor. That had to be done," said Farncombe. "The real reason is I'm not getting any younger and the furniture is not get- ting any lighter." Farncombe said he is currently in the process of lowering his inventory lev- el, with everything in his store currently 30 per cent off. He said that discount will get larger in the near future, with the store clos-future, with the store clos-f ing before Christmas, he expects. A cabinet maker for 20 to 25 years, Farncombe said he one day counted his fingers and decided hefingers and decided hef would rather sell furniture than make it. He opened the Oakville store with his partner Ron Southwick (Murray + Ron= Murron's) and wife Gaye Farncombe. "We've had a lot of fun here ... a lot of fun," said Farncombe. "Ron and I used to drive to Pennsylvania, pick up the furniture and bring it back. It was less expensive that way and definitely more fun. We know all the watering holes between here and Philadelphia and Harrisburg." Always eager to talk with and get a laugh out of his customers, Farncombe has no shortage of one-lin- ers. "Our candles last longer if you don't light them," is one he likes to use. He also strives to get customers in a good mood as they come through the door, which is why, every day for the past 29 years, he has put a sign featuring a joke or silly message out- side the store. During the period when the Bill Clinton-Monica Le- winsky scandal was mak- ing headlines, Farncombe put out a sign that said, "We don't know what Clinton was thinking ... but we know what he was think- ing with." Apparently not every- one thought this sign was funny because Farncombefunny because Farncombef kept finding it had been knocked over. He was eventually told by a witness that the same woman kept coming by and kicking the sign. "This happened, like, six times," Farncombe said. During the Queen's 2002 visit to Oakville, Farn- combe put a sign on a park- ing space in front of the store (after feeding the me- ter), which said, "Please don't park here. The Queen is in town and said she might drop in." Farncombe said this re- sulted in the RCMP riding by the store and the sign being seized. Other memories he cherishes include his chil- dren working at the store, co-hosting the Oakville Hospital gala multiple times and the various in- stances when the busi- ness's mascot stuffed bear was stolen. On one occasion, Farn- combe said, the bear ended up at a party at Sheridan College. The police returned the bear and asked if Farn- combe wanted to press charges against the youth who stole it. He declined, not want- ing the youth to have a criminal record for steal- ing a giant toy bear. "I'll be quite sad when this is over," said Farn- combe. "I've spent so much time here." The business owner said he has enjoyed work- ing in the Oakville down- town and is hopeful inde- pendent businesses can continue to find a home there. After he retires, he plans to travel and possibly write a book, he said. "I'd like to thank every- one who supported us over the years. It's been fun. I know they've enjoyed a lot of the things they've found in the store," said Farn- combe. "I really hope that peo- ple will continue to sup- port the downtown mer- chants. They work hard and they deserve your sup- port. This is important in the preservation of the town." BUSINESS MURRON'S CABINETREE CLOSING ITS DOORS ADDRESS: 215 Lakeshore Rd., E., EMAIL: sales@murrons.com WEBSITE: murrons.com PHONE: 905-338-5181 HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.,Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Owner Murray Farncombe will be closing Murron's Cabinetree after 29 years in business on Lakeshore Rd in Oakville. October 10, 2019 Nikki Wesley/Torstar DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com OWNER SAYS IT IS THE RIGHT TIME TO RETIRE