A Regina auto shop is closing its doors for good after nearly 50 years in business.

Short Stop Auto Repair has stood at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Elphinstone Street for years, but Friday was its last day in business.

The owner of the auto shop had been leasing the building and land from Esso. Earlier this year, Laura Kew received a notice saying the business would need to move out.

Esso says it plans to demolish the shop and keep the property.

Kew has worked at the location for more than 40 years and took over as the owner-operator in the early 1990s. She thinks that with a bit of maintenance, the shop could have stayed in business for another 50 years.

After spending most of her life in the shop, she says this will likely be the end of her career.

“(It) could have been longer as long as my health would let me,” Kew said. “But to move, I don’t have the energy anymore. I don’t feel like starting over, so I’m just going to retire.”

Short Stop Auto needs to be off the land by Aug. 31. The company will be selling off some of its tools and machinery over the next couple of weeks.

Esso plans to start tearing down the structure in September.

With files from CTV Regina's Brendan Ellis