GANG'S ALL HERE: Joel and Rick Thompson, Shantal Taylor and Daniel Thompson at the opening of Thompsons Bolts and Bearings in Pottery Plaza. PHOTO: Jacob Gillard. A LONG way from his former line of work as a boilermaker, Lithgow man Daniel Thompson is now the proud owner of a new retail store in town selling bolts and bearings. Over the past six months Daniel has been plugging away with the help of his family setting up Thompsons Bolts and Bearings and the store opened in Lithgow’s Pottery Plaza just a few weeks ago. Daniel said he still does a few boilermaker jobs from time to time but this new venture is a whole different game and it’s a welcome change. “I just wanted to switch things up a bit,” Daniel said, speaking to the Lithgow Mercury. “The biggest change is probably getting used to all the computer work but we’ve got a system now and we’re getting the hang of it.” Given his past occupation Daniel said bolts and bearings were topics he knew a lot about and so it was a natural fit. Though the store has only been open for a few weeks Daniel said they’re getting a lot of foot traffic through the door. According to Daniel his mother Shantal, who also works at the shop, has been surprised at how business has picked up. “People are coming in and say they like how neat and tidy the shop is with a good range and low prices,” he said. As the wheels on Thompsons Bolts and Bearings start to turn, Daniel said in the future he hopes to expand. “Looking at the next few years, I’d love to have a bigger premises or hiring the shop next door,” he said. But for now Daniel seems pretty pleased with how business at the shop is turning out. “Everything just keeps going up, gotta be happy with that.”