By Doug Fletcher,Staff Writer

AUBURN – Austin “Audie” Conrad is getting ready for the end.

His Main Street landmark shop, Austin’s Fine Wines and Foods, will close at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 12.

He has until March 18 to vacate the premises, a building that’s being converted into a Gritty McDuff’s Brew Pub. The building at the corner of Main and Court streets is being renovated by American Holdings.

Richard Pfeffer, president of Gritty’s, has said he hopes the pub will be open by April or May.

To accommodate Gritty’s, developer Chris Merrill, vice president of American Holdings, originally told Conrad he had to get out in 30 days to accommodate the renovation schedule. That time limit was extended a bit, Conrad noted, but not as much as he had hoped.

He added, however, that “negotiations are going pretty well” with two possible buyers of Austin’s. And, he said, there are “a couple of pretty cool” locations in the downtown where he hopes the eventual buyer will relocate the shop.

Conrad said he’s committed to working with the buyer for a specified period of time once the shop has relocated and opened.

That, in turn, is slowing his own job search.

“I haven’t had any offers yet,” he said, “but I’ve got resumes out from here to Napa Valley.”

Conrad and his wife, Becky, had decided a while back to move on, but had hoped to do so on their own terms. Having to get Austin’s shop out of the building so quickly was an unexpected monkey wrench, he said.

Becky Conrad runs a gift shop, Rysen, a few steps away from their wine and food shop. That’ll stay open for the time being.

Audie Conrad said he’s hoping to close out his 20-year affiliation with Austin’s with a bit of flair. He’s encouraging all of his customers – and that includes 167 active commercial accounts as well as walk-ins – to visit the shop and deli before it closes.

“We will be serving fresh food” right up to closing time, he said, and also selling off the inventory of dry goods, cheeses and in-stock wines at reduced prices.

He said the shop’s equipment is also up for sale, even though that could affect the business’ selling price.

“We have to be out of here by March 18,” he noted, so if a deal for the shop isn’t cut soon, he needs to get everything moved.

Equipment includes coolers, meat and cheese cases, “and even the kitchen sink,” he said, in a reference to a three-bay professional-style sink.

“It is our sincerest hope that someone will buy Austin’s and move it to a local funky location,” Conrad stated in a notice he sent out Tuesday, “so all of you may find a place to chill, sip coffee, buy a bottle of wine, eat a big deli sandwich, munch a cookie or just kibitz with the person next to you. That is what made this place great – you.”