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Small Business Owner Ready To Close Down After Trouble Finding Employees

ISLETON (CBS13) - One Isleton business owner had a job offer that was tough to pass up.

It has a waterfront view, pay above minimum wage and offers a chance to take over the company.

At one point, Randy Garrett believed his Isleton business, Oxbow Marina, could go on, even without him.

"There's nobody to take it on, nobody to follow through," said Garrett.

His search for help went nowhere, he says, and if you don't think he looked hard enough, he says think again.

He looked for two years.

Last December Garrett reached out to CBS13 after he couldn't find anyone qualified and willing to work for $10-$15 an hour.

The calls and applications began pouring in the day the story aired and Garrett thought he'd finally be able to find the employees with the drive to create his high-quality custom canvas boat covers.

However, 300 applicants and 20 workers later, he says he was wrong.

"People that couldn't stay off their cell phones, not showing up for work," said Garrett.

He says one man even told him he'd make more money on welfare than working for him.

"Now, here it is a year later and it's me," said Garrett.

This time around, Garrett seems a little defeated and says he's ready to step away from his sewing machine, and close the doors to his mom and pop shop for good.

"I'm 61 years old. I'm tired. It's time to retire," said Garrett.

Garrett says he has a few months worth of orders to fill before he closes up his shop at the beginning of next year. Then he plans to retire, put this all behind him and sail away to Hawaii.

Garrett admits that he's a tough guy to work for, and that it's been impossible to find anyone to fulfill his standards for high-quality work.

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