The son of a well-known businessman who took over a Manx business ‘on the spur of the moment’ and stayed here for 30 years has paid tribute.

Michael Pickavance sadly passed away earlier this month following a short illness, aged 87.

He was an operations director for a number of businesses in the UK and the Isle of Man, and during a trip in 1987, took over furniture store Cubbin and Bregazzi with wife Mavis on something of a whim.

Michael was a well-known figure, both on the island and within the UK furniture retail industry, and would regularly be seen at the front of the shop dealing with customers personally.

He was born in Bolton in 1937 and became operations director for a number of businesses, a role which involved travelling up and down the country. He met Mavis and the couple married in 1967.

His son David, who now runs Cubbin and Bregazzi, said: ‘My dad was largely involved in the electricals retail market. He came to the island to look at a few businesses owned by the company he worked for.

‘He saw Cubbin znd Bregazzi and liked the look of it. He bought the business and left the other company. It was a bit of a spur of the moment decision.

‘He went from a large company to just him, my mum and a couple of other people.’

David said his dad worked hard to transform Cubbin and Bregazzi, a business which was becoming something of a fading force by the time Pickavance took over the firm.

‘My dad built Cubbin and Bregazzi back up,’ he said. ‘The company had changed hands a couple of times and was looking a bit tired.

‘My dad energetically revamped the business. He moved out to Tynwald Mills and then to Tromode.

‘He made sure the business always adapted. Dad was very much into detail and the nuts and bolts of business.

‘In his previous role he was behind the scenes but when he took over Cubbin and Bregazzi he was a salesman and at the shop front.

‘He was a larger-than-life character and very much became the personality of the business.

‘He knew about what he was selling. If he sold an antique rug, he would be able to tell the customer about it. He would ensure the customer was buying in to what he was selling.

‘Dad was well known in the shop. He was also well-known and well-respected at trade shows and those in the industry would seek his opinion.

David came over to the island in the 1990s to help out and ended up staying, now running the business. His dad still played a part in the business until he was 75 and only stepped away completely when he left the island in 2019.

‘People still ask about my dad,’ David said. ‘It has changed from an upmarket, traditional furniture store and adapted. Dad left Cubbin and Bregazzi in a good state.

‘We are more about design and interiors which is my strongpoint but we are always ready to change but the same care and quality remains. We now have the Maggazzino City Store now which is more about interiors.’

While Michael returned to the UK in 2019, David feels his dad left an indelible mark on the Isle of Man during his time there.

‘I think many people on the island will remember him,’ David said. ‘He had such a personality and an engaging smile.

‘He made many friends through his business and had a lot of loyal customers. I believe he has left a big hole over here.’

Michael leaves behind wife Mavis, daughter Jane and sons Mark and David, alongside five grandchildren and one great grandchild who was only born this year, but Michael managed to see during a visit to Canada in August.