The bank report he submitted estimated the Exeter business would turn over $550,000 in the first six months - $350,000 more than it was bringing in at the time.

Amazingly, their six-month turnover came within a dollar of the estimate and the store has enjoyed a flourishing trade ever since.

"Even though we had some ups and downs ... everything seemed to be heading towards some sort of common goal," Mr Davis said.

After 27 years at the helm, the Davises are selling a business that has been one of the mainstays of Exeter's shopping strip.

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The property at 73 Main Road began life in the late 1800s as a transfer station for horses travelling between Launceston and the Beaconsfield mine.

It has served many purposes since, housing a post office, general milk bar, games room and butcher's shop.

Under the Davises' reign it has been a popular seven-days-a-week takeaway, opening for at least 14 hours every day.

The Smithton-based owners have been retired and off the books for 15 years - "every year we go away for about six months travelling around Australia in a caravan" - but there's a certain charm that keeps them coming back.

"Rebecca when she's home, she's not rostered on but she goes down there because she loves the place. It's a second home to her I guess," Mr Davis said.

"We've made so many fantastic friends," Mrs Davis added.

"The best thing is watching a young kid [go away and] come back in the shop 20 years later with their child and introducing you."

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The 1180 square metre property takes in the main business at the front and a tenanted three-bedroom, one-bathroom home at the rear.

The owners are open to selling the property as a freehold or leasehold, with expectations at $1.8 million at $680,000 respectively.

"We're attracting interest from a lot of local and out-of-state people," said selling agent Todd Streets, of Key2 Property Launceston.

"A majority of people that have got on it know the business - it's been Shakers for [more than] 27 years.

"We've had quite a few local people looking to take it on and revamp it a bit."

In the meantime, the Davises aren't sweating on the sale.

They plan to continue travelling, and are looking forward to seeing their granddaughter join the 14-strong team of employees one day a week.

"It doesn't faze us because it doesn't interrupt our lives, but it's just time to let somebody else have a go," Mr Davis said.

"It's been a fantastic business, it's always progressed ... it's currently doing $1.6 million [turnover] a year.

"If somebody goes there and does the right thing and they're young enough, they can set themselves up for life as we did."

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