After 56 years as a family business, Gerrys of Wimbledon will be transformed into furniture and homeware store Neptune this summer.

Gerry and Gwen Doughty opened the shop in Wimbledon Broadway in 1960 and retired seven years ago. Their son Clive joined in 1973, where he remained until its closure in February.

February 6: Family fishing and guns business Gerrys of Wimbledon to close after 56 years

Clive and his wife Sue, who ran the business together, decided to retire and close the family business on Saturday, February 27 this year.

Wimbledon Times:

Clive, left, with his wife Sue in front, Gwen and grand-daughter Alice with members of staff before its closure. 

The main source of their business came from fishing, but over the years their customers acquired a love for darts with the gun selling just being a part of their monthly sales.

The 5,649 sq. ft. (524.81 sq. m.) premises was marketed with Andrew Scott Robertson, which announced this week it had leased the property to British furniture and homeware brand Neptune.

The new store will be the company’s 17th, and its third in London, with two others in Chiswick and Fulham.

They will pay in excess of £125,000 per year in rent for the double shop fronted location near Majestic Wine and the former Henry J Beans.

February 12: Derelict former Henry J Beans and job centre site could be a 176 bedroom Premier Inn hotel

After a full refurbishment, the business is expected to open in the summer.

Stewart Rolfe, director of commercial agency at Andrew Scott Robertson, said: “Wimbledon remains a target destination for high end retailers and further demonstrates why Wimbledon continues to have one of the lowest shop vacancy rates in the country at 1.77 per cent (as at the end of 2015).

"This compares to the London average of 6.5 per cent and a national average of 9.1 per cent over the same period.”