Life Pharmacy Whakatāne will be closing at the end of March.

Almost 50 years after he first put on a white coat as an intern, Gerry Don has decided to retire.

The director of Life Pharmacy Whakatāne said the last day of trading would be March 31, after his 13 years with the business.

“I’ve enjoyed coming to work, the weather’s always nice and it’s a nice town,” he said.

The decision to close has not been made lightly; Mr Don has been looking for someone to buy the business for the better part of four years.

“There’s no problem with the economics of the business; we’re always busy trading and I have good staff.”

He said there was a national shortage of pharmacists, and many young pharmacists were not interested in committing to a business.

“There’s been no sign of buyers, this is probably the next step so I can finally retire.”

The pharmacy has been in the centre of town for decades, first as Atmore’s Pharmacy for 20 years, then a Unichem, and now a Life Pharmacy.

Mr Don said he had been lucky to have “fantastic customers”.

“I’ve really enjoyed all our customers. They are all good people to deal with, and I’ve had lots of experiences with them. I have got to know them all over the years,” he said.

“Some have been dealing with this pharmacy longer than I have been here; it’s in such a good position in town.”

He is working with nearby pharmacies to ensure his customers will be looked after and can make smooth transitions when Life Pharmacy closes.

Looking forward to retirement, Mr Don is planning on staying in the area and spend time with his five grandchildren.

“I’ll do the things retired people do,” he said.

“It’s a sad way to have to end, particularly when things are going well. I’ve been waiting and waiting for the right people to come along; it’s very sad not to be able to find someone to carry it on.”