Metricup-based business The Colony Concept will close its doors at the end of the July school holidays. In a statement released by owners Simon and Sarah Green this week, Southern Forests Honey confirmed it would cease trading at the Harman's Mill Road site and Origins Market in Busselton. "For over 13 years now, Sarah and I have been working to build Southern Forests Honey, and the entire range of our honey-based products," Simon Green said. "After much deliberation in 2019, we embarked on a journey to build a honey centre in the Margret River Region. "The Colony Concept was a place where we could showcase our honey and show the world what could be done with this natural product. "It has been an amazing success distributing honey products to people from all over the world." Mr Green said the pair had been faced with the choice of "going bigger or stepping back". "Somewhere along the line of our evolution, life became too much about work and not enough about balance," he said. "It is the right time for us to get back to our lives, we need to spend some much over due time with loved ones, especially our two kids who have been amazing through this whole journey, understanding the late nights and early mornings, assisting us in the field, packing shed, on delivery runs, in the kitchen or in the shops." "There have been some amazing people we have worked with and met, there've been tears of both joy and sorrow, and we've had to adapt, pivot and morph more times than we can remember." Mr Green urged customers to make their final purchases before their last day of trade at Origins Market - July 16, and the Colony Concept - July 17. Loyal fans of the brand's honey, mead, Chef's Range, and Heart of the Hive body products were quick to show their support for the decision, while mourning the loss of the local business. "Thank you immensely for all your well wishes, and words of wisdom- was a really tough decision but as you all know, balance moving forward and essential family connections," Mr Green wrote in a Facebook post about the closure which garnered many comments of support. "A lot of you have walked this path with us for years - we really appreciated you then and do now! "And those to whom have just discovered us - we hope we left a lasting impression and may your honey mead journey continue." For more information and the Southern Forests Honey online shop, visit southernforestshoney.com.au