By LAURIE SULLIVAN
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Graham Galbraith thought Bunnings would affect his business for a few months.
Last week - 18 months after the hardware giant opened in Port Macquarie - he and wife Wendy began making plans to close down Hastings Garden Centre and leave town.
To be fair, he says, Bunnings was the final straw. His and other nurseries and garden supply businesses were already under pressure from local growers markets.
But, it's Bunnings' take-no-prisoners business philosophy that has made it impossible for him to survive. Other small local businesses are in the same position, he claims.
"Bunnings seem to target segments of their market and cut their prices to eliminate the competition," Mr Galbraith said.
"They squeeze out everyone else until they have the market to themselves.
"With plants they kept their stock at wholesale prices to get customers in. Now their prices are virtually the same as ours, but after going there for so long people don't compare prices anymore.
"Go to a paint, barbeque or paint outlet - anything that Bunnings' sell. They will all tell you the same thing - they are all struggling."
Mr Galbraith said he and other small retailers felt the shine would wear off the giant retailer after a few months. That hope was dashed long ago.
After three years in their business, the couple and their children are holding a closing down sale and heading to Sydney.
Mr Galbraith plans to return to his previous occupation as a landscape gardener.
He will also return to breeding birds. In desperation he began selling birds and fish at the garden centre to give his business a small point of difference over Bunnings.
"Frankly, you can make more money out of birds than plants," he said.
"It's the reason we branched into fish and birds at the shop - Bunnings don't have them."
The couple won't contemplate a small business again.
"We had our fingers burnt too much to go back into business," Mr Galbraith said.
"We sold our house and put everything into the business, buying the lease, stocking the store.
"Since Bunnings opened we thought if we put more money into the business, upgrading stock and improving the store our business would come good."
It didn't.