Mr Bates said a lot had changed in fashion since he first opened the business in the early 1960s.

“The Bates family established in Dobie in the late 1800s, they took up land around Dobie and later on moved into Ararat,” he said.

“We have been in business in Barkly Street and in Ararat ever since.

“I guess I’m breaking the chain as there has always been a Bates in business in Ararat during all that time.”

Mr Bates said he would focus on his health during his retirement and he had to move away from Ararat due to the need for ongoing treatment.

When Major’s first opened on April 26, 1962 as Major’s Men’s and Boy’s Wear, the phone numbers only had five digits and prices were quoted in pounds, shillings and pence.

An advertisement placed in the Ararat Advertiser featured a photo of Mr Bates in a tuxedo and boasted sales prices of less than five shillings for singlets and less than seven shillings for men’s briefs.

The most expensive item featured in the advertisement was a Men’s Gabardine overcoat for £9/19/6.

As it was more than a decade before bank and credit cards started to become popular in Australia, sales were by cash or lay-by only.

Mr Bates said his wife Heather, who died 11 years ago, had provided a lot of support to his business.

“She was a very alert person, very good with business and she was the backbone of the shop – not that a lot of people would have seen that,” he said.

“It started off as a modern menswear store, that’s what we called ourselves. Then we moved on as things changed and we changed with it.

“It was with the support of my wife, who was very alert to all the the changes and she worked with me.

“We have had to reinvent ourselves many times in business – starting in menswear and then men’s and ladies wear and then teenage wear and finishing as the street and surf wear shop targeting youth – males and females.

“We ended up stocking a lot of the branded products, which the young people wanted.”

Mr Bates also has a long association with the Ararat Regional Business Association and has served as its president.

He said he had seen many ups and downs in Barkly Street and a lot of fashion trends come and go and even come back into style.

“We’ve seen people go from big flared pants to tight pants to big flared pants again,” he said.

“We have seen the lot.”

The Major’s shop will be offered for lease or sale.