Call for Australia Post to give Port Kembla couple the glory they deserve

Genuine, real hugs for a man they consider a friend.

Joe, or Giuseppe as his birth certificate says, and his wife Vicky returned to the Port Kembla shop they ran for almost 30 years on Monday.

Shoppers' faces light up when they recognise the couple who retired earlier this month after being post office licensees for nearly 30 years.

"It's been incredible, I had no idea that I had left such a legacy with all the people," Mr Navarria said.

"They're my friends, not my customers. I keep on saying that - forever and ever."

The Port Kembla community responded by throwing a get-together for the pair and urged Australia Post to recognise their services to the community.

Back in the mid-90s, Australia Post advertised for a licensee to run a new Port Kembla after the old one closed down.

Mr Navarria applied and "about 12 months later" got a call asking if he was still interested.

"I said 'yes definitely', and I went for the interview," he said.

"The interview lasted about 30 minutes, 20 minutes of that we talked about soccer."

After setting up the new post office in 1996, it took two weeks for the Navarrias to begin questioning their decision.

"It was absolutely a nightmare."

They stuck with it however and then, 28 years on, made the difficult choice to retire.

"I have a broken heart. I have to say we decided to sort of give it way, because we're 76 years old."

The Navarrias, who live in Unanderra, have big plans for what's next now they've retired.

A trip to Sicily to see Mr Navarria's extended family is on the cards and they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in December.

Before all that they plan to "start spoiling our grandkids".