The owners of Canberra’s longest-running, privately owned art gallery, Beaver Galleries in Deakin, have said that the doors will close on December 1.

Their decision has caused a shock in arts circles, but comes as small family businesses have been reported to be closing all around the country and several weeks after Nancy Sever Gallery in Civic announced that it would reopen online only.

The announcement came after weeks of speculation and some private announcements which the owners, Martin and Susie Beaver, declined to share with media, in a letter to patrons on Thursday.

“As you can imagine, this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make after we have enjoyed such an extraordinarily rewarding and privileged 33 years,” they wrote.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to have represented such talented Australian artists as they forged and developed their art careers.”

The galleries were originally founded by Martin Beaver’s late parents, Ron and Betty, in their Red Hill home in 1975,  after prolonged negotiations with the then National Capital Development Commission, they were offered allocations of land on the southern side of Adelaide Avenue, where architect son Ross designed the current gallery complex in Deakin, still one of the very few purpose-built commercial galleries in Australia.

In their heyday, the galleries were not only a hub of art and craft but used for musical soirees, as  Betty Beaver was a noted musical patron and musician herself.

After Ron and Betty retired, husband and wife team Martin and Susie Beaver took over the gallery  when their first child was three months old and have since exhibited year-round, matching painting exhibitions with fine craft exhibitions as well as conducting a retail outlet for art and craft and with their balance of fine and decorative arts providing a solid business basis.

In 2015 when marking the 40^th anniversary of Beaver Galleries, they told CityNews they believed that over the years, their success had been partly attributable to the fact that their galleries were reasonable and affordable, in an intimate setting.

“There is an ownership factor with people coming here for a long time,” Susie said. “They feel as if they’re a member of a club.”

At the time they said they didn’t have a succession plan.

“So long as we still have the passion, we’ll be here, it’s something you take as it comes,” Martin said. “But we won’t be here in our Zimmer frames!”

They’re obviously not waiting for that time.

Beaver Galleries, 81 Denison St Deakin, will remain open until December 1, with current exhibitions by Peter Boggs and Benjamin Edols & Kathy Elliott, then shows by Thornton Walker and Alex Asch/Mariana del Castillo, then David Frazer and Cathy Franzi.