Gary Ching closes the door on 28 years as a Blenheim locksmith. Photo Dan Hutchinson
by Dan Hutchinson
Gary Ching has closed the door on 28 years of locking people out and letting people in.
Gary Ching Locksmith has been the face of everything safe and secure in Marlborough and there would be few people in the region who have not heard his radio jingle.
Last month he handed over the reins of his well-known Blenheim-based business to former police officer Tony Sampson, who has elected to keep the same well-known brand.
For Mr Ching, selling up is not exactly the end of an era as he remains president and secretary of the Australia and New Zealand Locksmith Association.
A master builder for 10 years, Mr Ching switched to the locksmith business in 1980 during a downturn in the construction industry.
What followed was a steady increase in business on the back of a purely mobile service. “It has been very, very good to us over the years. We must have done something right because we have never been quiet and there have not been many complaints.”
Four years ago, he set up the shop on High Street to sell products direct to the customer.
“It used to be a TAB but now when you go in there, we guarantee you come out a winner.”
Mr Ching and wife Doreen are lifetime Blenheim locals and have seen whole new generations coming in as customers.
“We see kids that our children went to school are now coming in as out customer and a lot of the kids today hear the jingle on the radio and you hear them singing it out loud.”
Mr Ching said the business has been hugely satisfying and he liked to think he had established a strong brand.
“”Years ago when I started it everyone remembered Rex Wyatt as the locksmith. I hope now when people think of keys they think of Gary Ching. I even have keys on my bowls.”
He is planning to spend more time at the Blenheim Bowling Club now that he is retired and it is also an opportunity to visit the children, who live in Australia, more often.
The security industry had changed a lot over the years but Mr Ching said the best home protection still came down to good locks on the doors and windows.
“The best home security is to keep people out. When people are outside the house, the public can see them.”
He won’t miss the call outs at odd hours to people locked out of their homes and vehicles or for the odd police officer locked out of their vehicle, for that matter.
However, the best part of the job has been giving people peace of mind so they know they can go to sleep at night and feel safe.
“Little old Blenheim is not little old Blenheim anymore. You can’t leave a brick wedged in the door at night to let a draft through the house.”
His parting advice to people is “make sure you have a spare key”.
by Dan Hutchinson
Gary Ching has closed the door on 28 years of locking people out and letting people in.
Gary Ching Locksmith has been the face of everything safe and secure in Marlborough and there would be few people in the region who have not heard his radio jingle.
Last month he handed over the reins of his well-known Blenheim-based business to former police officer Tony Sampson, who has elected to keep the same well-known brand.
For Mr Ching, selling up is not exactly the end of an era as he remains president and secretary of the Australia and New Zealand Locksmith Association.
A master builder for 10 years, Mr Ching switched to the locksmith business in 1980 during a downturn in the construction industry.
What followed was a steady increase in business on the back of a purely mobile service. “It has been very, very good to us over the years. We must have done something right because we have never been quiet and there have not been many complaints.”
Four years ago, he set up the shop on High Street to sell products direct to the customer.
“It used to be a TAB but now when you go in there, we guarantee you come out a winner.”
Mr Ching and wife Doreen are lifetime Blenheim locals and have seen whole new generations coming in as customers.
“We see kids that our children went to school are now coming in as out customer and a lot of the kids today hear the jingle on the radio and you hear them singing it out loud.”
Mr Ching said the business has been hugely satisfying and he liked to think he had established a strong brand.
“”Years ago when I started it everyone remembered Rex Wyatt as the locksmith. I hope now when people think of keys they think of Gary Ching. I even have keys on my bowls.”
He is planning to spend more time at the Blenheim Bowling Club now that he is retired and it is also an opportunity to visit the children, who live in Australia, more often.
The security industry had changed a lot over the years but Mr Ching said the best home protection still came down to good locks on the doors and windows.
“The best home security is to keep people out. When people are outside the house, the public can see them.”
He won’t miss the call outs at odd hours to people locked out of their homes and vehicles or for the odd police officer locked out of their vehicle, for that matter.
However, the best part of the job has been giving people peace of mind so they know they can go to sleep at night and feel safe.
“Little old Blenheim is not little old Blenheim anymore. You can’t leave a brick wedged in the door at night to let a draft through the house.”
His parting advice to people is “make sure you have a spare key”.
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