“There have been many memories. I’m now serving people who used to come into the store with their grandparents, back when they were children,” she said.

“And now those grandchildren have children of their own.”

“I’ll certainly miss the elderly people who come in here. Some of them are alone at home and we are their only contact to the outside world.

Mrs Walker plans to retire on Friday 2 September.

She started her working life in 1969 as a part time deli girl at Storemans, the company which operated some of the first chain supermarkets in the region.

While Mrs Walker eventually left Stonemans pursue work elsewhere in Bendigo she returned as one of the first staff members at the Kangaroo Flat store.

The Strathdale store opened in 1984 and Mrs Walker was on hand first to train new staff and become the store’s customer service manager.

It was a role she held for 32 years, seeing the store change hands multiple times before it was taken over by its current owners, who are affiliated with IGA.

She looked after the register team, helped customers throughout the store, organised rosters and “made sure the everyday stuff ran smoothly.”

Mrs Walker said 99.9 per cent of her time at the Strathdale store had been fantastic.

“Without the team I wouldn’t have been able to do anything. You need a great team leader and a great team. If you have that that you will have no hassles at all,” she said.

Store manager Tim Mannix said Mrs Walker had given outstanding service.

“It is second to none.We are a store that prides itself on a strong relationship with its customers and she has been incredible in that regard. I don’t think there is a better person who could have done it.”

Mrs Walker planned to spend the start of her retirement catching up with family.