Pete looks forward to a break after 23 years in the news business

A CONSTANT face on Bacchus Marsh’s Main Street for more than two decades will soon no longer be around – at least not as much and not in an official capacity.

Popular Bacchus Marsh Newsagency owner Pete Drever has sold the business after 23 years and plans to finish up on or around 25 February.

And right now, after so many years of early starts and long days, Mr Drever just wants to take a break and to be with his family.

Mr Drever, 55, has sold the business to a Tarneit family.

“It’s a massive influence on your time,” he said of running a newsagency.

Speaking of time demands, Mr Drever has made the trip from his home in Macedon to Bacchus Marsh in the early hours of each day six days a week – and then back home again – for the entire length of his ownership.

He estimates that he has driven more than 800,000km simply travelling to and from work.

Mr Drever was involved in his family’s St Kilda Road, Melbourne, newsagency before he bought the Bacchus Marsh outlet.

 

“We wanted to be a bit closer to home and get out of Melbourne,” he said of the decision to buy the business.

Mr Drever described Bacchus Marsh as “a great town” and one that had gone through a lot of changes in his time there.

“It’s a very busy place now, it’s huge,” he said. “I used to know every single house; I could tell you what their front garden looked like.

“Not now.”

After spending 20-plus years working 12-hour days, Mr Drever said he and his own growing family had a lot to catch up on.

“You miss a lot running businesses like this,” he said.

Any talk of a farewell party has been put on the backburner while details of the sale and preparations for the handover have been worked through and finalised.

“We’ll get through that and then talk about having a bit of a celebration,” Mr Drever said. “We will catch up and do something afterwards, I think.”

 

Mr Drever employs a staff of eight, among them long-timer Michelle Coon, who has been with the business even longer than Mr Drever – 28 years.

Ms Coon described her boss as “absolutely amazing”.

“That’s why I’m still here,” she said. “You’ll never find anyone like Pete.”

As for Mr Drever, he will be no stranger to Bacchus Marsh.

“I know so many people here,” he said. “I literally cannot go to the supermarket without half an hour of talking.

“I get my car serviced here, all my equipment gets serviced here, so I’ll be across regularly.

“There are lots of people to catch up with.”

Mr Drever leaves the business with the happy knowledge that he has helped make some people richer, having sold about 10 first division-winning lotto tickets over the years.