The successor to a knife-sharpening business that began in 1928, Dunlap Locksmith has called it quits. (Photo by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

Dunlap Locksmith, an 86-year-old Red Bank stalwart, has closed.

A notice posted on the White Street shop’s Facebook page says the store “locked its doors for the last time” on Saturday.

A hurried Susan Novak, who has owned the store with Bruce White since 1988, told redbankgreen earlier this week that the couple was going through with plans to retire, even though a prospective buyer of the business had backed out at the last minute and left them scrambling to deal with open accounts.

A little bit of history on the store’s website:

In 1928 Carl Burnside started a small buiness of Locksmith, Blade Sharpening, and repairing small equipment. Fifty years later Ken Dunlap, looking for a more interesting career, started part time work with Carl by his side.  In 1976 Ken moved the business to it’s current location on White street, eliminating the sharpening business and focusing on Lock & Safe work.  Handing the torch off in 1988 to Susan & Bruce who added electronic security to the existing lock & safe business enhancing the scope of security products & services offered to their customers and continue to this day.

According to the Red Bank Register, Carl Burnside died in 1972. His obituary in the March, 28, 1972 edition of the Register said he had operated the business, known as Burnside Locksmith Shop, at 123 West Front Street, for 38 years, which would put the transfer to Dunlap at around 1966.

Through a partnership, Novak and White bought the business and the White Street property from Dunlap in 1988. The 41-by-94-foot property is assessed at $376,900, according to Monmouth County records.