A NEWSAGENT who has spent more than four decades serving the Dovercourt community is saying a farewell as she retires. 

Mary Jordan has been at the helm of the MK Jordon Store in Manor Road for 43 years. 

The 79-year-old took over the shop, known as the Manor Road shop, in 1979. 

Since then she has been a central figure in the lives of residents and has been selling The Standard in Harwich for as long as she has had the shop.

But before taking on the shop, Mary ran a playschool, and her early ties to the community became lifelong connections.

“Some of the paper boys and girls that have worked at the shop Mary had at the playschool,” said Sara, her daughter.

"And some of their children have then been paper boys and girls.”

“She has been running the shop for these years, and the last couple of years she has been losing her eyesight. So it has been a bit of a struggle.

"She is 79 now and has decided that she is going to retire.

"She has got three grandsons, three great-grandsons, and a great-granddaughter as well.

"And she has an eye surgery planned for earlier next year.

"So she is now prepared to retire and spend quality time with family. I think she is looking forward to it.”  

Mary has always been a community-focused businesswoman, leaving her mark in unique ways.

Sara added: “With lockdown, we started our home delivery of groceries so people could phone out, and the next day we would go out and deliver.

"I still remember it was Father’s Day we did an Afternoon Tea in a box. You got in touch with us, and we would deliver it for you.”  

The shop became a hub for community traditions.

She said: “Going back a few years, we held a little competition for the local children to make Mother’s Day cards, and we put them in our window and got them judged.

"I am a florist, and I had done a bouquet of flowers for the winner to gift their mother. We also always did these Christmas window displays.

"Our Father Christmas used to do the countdown, and it was wonderful.”  

Mary has been helped in the shop by her daughter Sara, 54, and son Steve, 57, in recent years.