By REBECCA BILLS
IT’S Mount Evelyn longest serving business and next Saturday is Egon Kuelanck’s last day of business in the town.
Egon’s Hair Shop has been a much loved business within the community for 35 years but due to family moving to Western Australia, Egon and his wife Lydia have decided to sell up and make the move across this great desert land.
Growing up in Germany, the couple moved to Switzerland on an 18 month working visa and Egon worked for one of the biggest hairdressing companies.
As the visa was coming to an end the couple said they did not want to return to Germany so applied for visas to Canada and Australia.
“The Australian papers came back first so we arrived in Melbourne with one suitcase on 14 September 1973,” Egon said.
Lydia said the couple moved to Mount Evelyn in 1975 as they loved the hills and it reminded them of their home country.
Shortly after Egon set up his hairdressing shop in Wray Crescent and a few years later built their family home on York Road with a shop underneath.
“I believe I am the longest serving trader in Mount Evelyn and that makes me feel old,” he said.
In 2000, Egon became the founding director of the Mount Evelyn Community Bank.
Founder of the Mount Evelyn Community Bank Allan Price said he thinks it is fantastic that Lydia and Egon came as migrants not even able to speak the language and it turns out he is the longest serving trader.
“Not only was he the director of the bank he was part of the traders’ group and the Mount Evelyn Township Improvement Committee,” he said.
“He was never just a shop owner in the town but an active member of the community.”
Egon and Lydia said they will always love Mount Evelyn and never thought they would leave but they need to be with their family.
“It is hard to say goodbye but we want to say thank you for the many years of support,” he said.
“This is not good-bye, it is just until next time we meet.”
