Dick Cleveland of Newcastle may have the ideal part-time retirement job. Cleveland is “The Local Locksmith.”

He was working as a handyman in Waldoboro 16 years ago when he met an area locksmith who wanted to retire. After a brief apprenticeship, Cleveland started his own business operating out of a built-in cap on his pickup. “I don’t have a shop. It’s all from the back of my truck,” said Cleveland. “I have to carry about everything.”

Now Cleveland wants to hang up his screwdrivers and pry bars and spend more time traveling and hiking with his wife. The business and his mobile shop are for sale to a motivated buyer.

“You can work as long or as short as you want,” said Cleveland. He does not work evenings or weekends unless there is an emergency.

He has been brought to many tough jobs in his career such as when a woman in Newcastle called to say she was locked out of her house with an angry German shepherd inside.

“I crawled through a window. The dog was not happy,” he said.

His usual work is with motels and summer residents who need to change or upgrade their lock sets. With the advent of modern automobile locking systems, he leaves opening locked car doors to mechanics and tow crews.

Cleveland works in cooperation with other area locksmiths so he can take extended holidays in the winter. He would like to close shop by the end of the year and is willing to train a replacement for up to six months. If interested, call 563-7400.

Cleveland continues to enjoys the work and meeting new people. “It is still very interesting,” he said.