A local cultural icon and institution of Springwood, Mac's Daks has been saved from closure once already in 2017, when owners Noel McCarthy and Trish Collinson hung up their work boots after more than 20 years.
Now, the Springwood store known today as Blue Mountains Clothing and Workwear is being closed down for good - but business owner Sandie Simmons has made it her mission to ensure locals who relied on the store are still serviced via online shopping.
Ms Simmons found the shop in 2017 while checking for stock for her own store in Windsor, and was immediately enamoured.
"Once I walked into the place, I just thought: this is an icon... I can't let it close down. So I bought it," she told the Gazette.
But after years of operating out of both shopfronts, Ms Simmons has made the difficult decision to shut the doors at Springwood, holding a large closing down sale.
She said the key drivers behind the decision were the impacts of COVID-19 and rising rent costs for businesses in Springwood.
"You can't pay the rent up here. It's ridiculous, the prices are ridiculous... it's not main street Sydney, it's Springwood, and the times are tough," Ms Simmons said.
"The economy is down and yet rents just go higher and higher, and it just comes to a point where the only people winning in a town like this are landlords... and when they won't budge, we have to."
But while she's leaving behind the bricks and mortar on Macquarie Road, Ms Simmons said she will continue to service Blue Mountains faithfuls through her soon-to-be-launched online shop.
She said she realised the value of the digital shopfront when she witnessed the impulse buys made by her 86-year-old mother during COVID lockdowns.
"If my 86-year-old mother can shop online, anybody can," Ms Simmons said.
"So I thought: we don't need to be up here maintaining the stock levels that we do... so there's no need to be here face-to-face, but we're just at the other end of the phone or [email]."
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Looking back on her time in Springwood, and the history of the shop, Ms Simmons said she appreciated the support from the town over the years.
"I have a heartfelt connection to [the town]. I love my business, and I'm so grateful for the support that we have had, and the beautiful people we've met," she said.
"There's some wonderful people that I would never have crossed paths with if I hadn't [been here on] that fateful day... I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of being here, and I certainly have no intentions of abandoning anyone in town."
For more information and to view the online store, visit the newly updated website at https://bluemountainsclothing.com.au/. For questions or assistance from staff, contact David or Lachlan on 4751 7229.
