In the 55 years since Bill White started an electrical business from the family property, "White's" has become a household name.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's set to stay even through a second transfer of ownership, with all involved in this family business passionate about keeping it local.
Bill was back in the workshop this month to oversee the handover from current owners, Marc and Deeon Ralph, to Ken Van Dyk who many will know from Parkes Electrical.
A lot has changed since Bill began the business in February 1967, but the Ralphs say they've remained committed to the principles he operated under, and so does Ken.
Service to the community and training up locals in the trade have always been, and will continue to be, central to them.
Bill actually started his working life in banking, and learned the electrical trade from his dad.
In those early years of business they repaired "anything that walked through the door".
"We used to sell motorbikes, washing machines, dishwashers - everything - and we repaired everything," he recalled.
"I was doing pushbikes, motorbikes, tennis racquets, electric jugs, radios..."
Bill struck out on his own after getting married. He and Isabelle moved to Glen Innes to start up there, but then moved to Parkes to Isabelle's family.
Bill started the business from home, on the family farm, and still remembers his very first customer, the late Wal Westcott from Alectown.
That first job must have gone well, because Mr Westcott was still a customer and present when the Ralphs hosted the business' 50th anniversary celebrations.
Bill steadily built the business up, working from the Queensland border to Lake Cargelligo, his work ranging from domestic to industrial.
Whether he was travelling doing contract work or his staff were assuring people they could "leave it with us, I'm sure we can fix it," White's was earning a name for itself.
Bill still remembers the day a lady from Forbes walked in with a Sunbeam toaster her sister had sent up in the post for her to take over to them.
As the need grew, Bill bought out the business on the corner where the McDonald's carpark now is, and expanded to include more electrical motor work.
"It was new to me but I had about two days' tuition and I took on his employees," Bill remembered.
He later built the current premises, which dominates its Grenfell Street corner.
He consistently had work to keep four staff, and over the years trained 14 "and a half" apprentices.
Marc saw that apprentice through when he bought White's in 2003, and has put another 19 apprentices through their trade.
In keeping with tradition, he's got an apprentice who will complete their training with Ken.
"As far as work's concerned, we've been blessed," Bill said.
"I worked, and I liked my work, that's probably the basis of the whole business, do what you like doing and it just happens.
"I'm so very happy about [local ownership] and the fact that they're going to continue the name, that's a bonus.
"It's developed into a fairly big business since Marc took it over."
Marc and Deeon moved from Broken Hill to Parkes and purchased the business in 2003.
"For two years Bill was going to come back and do bits and pieces on the bench, that went for 13 years," they laughed.
At the business' 50th anniversary celebrations they made Bill's Bench an official institution with its own plaque.
"We just maintained exactly what Bill was doing: servicing the town, breakdowns, maintenance, new houses," they said.
"Bill had a good name that we took over."
Training young locals is the other key to that: the Ralphs saw Bill's final apprentice complete training and have trained another 19 - and a half - apprentices of their own, including the daughter of one of Bill's apprentices.
After successfully growing White's over the past 18 years they're now looking to wind back - they don't have firm plans but Marc was diagnosed with Parkinson's last year.
Ken has every intention of building on this solid foundation.
"You hear people say 'just take it to White's'," Ken said.
He, like Marc, began his career in the mining industry but he's been in business in Parkes Electrical for about eight years now.
"You get your satisfaction from doing a good job - everyone's happy with what you've done," he says.
"We're going to add a few things as we go, we do a lot of repairs, refrigeration so we're going to continue what's been left by Bill and Marc and add appliance repairs and refrigeration to it."
But their message is more about what will stay the same: the same iconic location, same people, same customers service, address, phone number and website.
READ ALSO:
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
Bookmark www.parkeschampionpost.com.au
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
