McCalman’s is synonymous with fashion and has been a household name in Bendigo for more than 60 years.

Albert McCalman opened his first Bendigo store in Mitchell Street in 1945 and sold manchester, soft furnishings and eventually, dress materials.

Mr McCalman’s daughter Lorna Gray sold up in 1993 and Ellie Gammon has been running McCalman’s Boutique in Queen Street for the past nine years.

Ms Gammon is moving away from the McCalman’s name and will close the Queen Street store at the end of the month before moving into a new address in Fountain Court.

She will trade under the new name Miranda.

“The name means ‘a beautiful woman’ and all my customers are beautiful so it’s very fitting,” Ms Gammon said.

The name McCalman’s is disappearing, but it won’t be forgotten, according to Lorna Gray.

“It was a family business,” she said. “After my father died my brother Graeme and I continued to run it.

“He was the businessman and I was the spender.

“We really appreciated all our loyal staff and Bendigo customers.”

Mrs Gray said McCalman’s was infamous for its half yearly sales.

“People used to come from everywhere for our sales,” she said. “There would also be a lot of Bendigo women who remember buying their glory boxes from us.”

Mrs Gray said the slogan her father worked by was ‘variety, quality and value’.

McCalman’s traded from various locations in Bendigo over the years, including shops in Mitchell Street, Hargreaves Street and Killians Walk.

Over the years the business’ scope expanded and it eventually branched out to include a women’s ready-to-wear department.

“We did a lot of fashion parades, too,” she said.

“It was all a lot of fun.”

Mrs Gray said it was sad the McCalman’s name was leaving Bendigo, but she had many happy memories of the shop.

“I loved the retail industry,” she said. “I loved the people.”

Ms Gammon is in the process of winding down the Queen Street business.

She said her new store would carry a mixture of old and new clothing labels.

“We’re keeping our top selling labels and still looking after mother of the bride,” she said.

“It’s all very exciting.”