Whanganui's Thistle Sweet Shop changes hands

Sharlene (centre left) and Roger Millar (centre right) and their two daughters have run Thistle Sweet Shop for eight and a half years. Photo / Supplied

Whanganui's iconic traditional sweet shop is changing ownership after more than eight years.

Thistle Sweet Shop has been operating in the Whanganui CBD since 1935.

Sharlene and Roger Millar - who ran the shop with their two daughters - have sold it to focus on their other local business, Video Systems.

Sharlene said the highlight of owning the shop was the customers.

"Every customer who comes in is happy," she said.

"You get to know them really well. Even though they're customers they become like friends to you."

Sharlene said many of their older customers had been going to Thistle since they were children.

"It brings back a lot of childhood memories when they come in and see all the traditional lollies."

New owner Sandra Benson will be only the fourth owner over the 86 years the business has been open.

Benson will take over from June 1, intending to run it with her four daughters.

But before purchasing it, she was first a long-time customer.

To decorate birthday cakes for her four daughters and grandchildren, she would come into Thistle for decorating supplies and remembers going to the Guyton St premise when she was a child.

The idea of being her own boss was a driver in purchasing the business.

"Running a shop is all new to me, but it's something I've always wanted to do," she said.

Benson plans to keep the shop as it is, in order to keep the integrity of the store.

"You don't want to change it too much. Just a new friendly face."

Roger Millar said it was important that the business was passed on to good hands, and that was important for the decision to sell.