TILTON — After nearly 75 years in the same family, Gutterridge Harley-Davidson will close its doors for business at the end of the day today.

The business has been a home and a business to its current owner, Michael Gutterridge. He bought the dealership from his parents, Jake and Ruth Gutterridge, in 1979, and Michael's son, Roger; grandson Tyler; wife, Beth; and daughter-in-law, Linnette; along with other relatives and a host of staff and service workers have been employed there over the years.

"Things have been very, very slow, and rumors have been everywhere about how we were doing," Michael Gutterridge said Tuesday morning. "Those rumors were just not true up until three weeks ago when Harley-Davidson sent me a letter of retirement."

A letter of retirement in essence withdraws approval for the Harley-Davidson franchise.

"They also do not plan to approve another franchise in the Danville area," Michael Gutterridge said. "The nearest dealerships are in Urbana and Terre Haute."

"Once I found out, we tried to get some investors together," in the hope that they would be able to persuade the company not to close the franchise, "but we just weren't able to get it done," Roger Gutterridge said. "Harley-Davidson is trying to consolidate its dealerships one way or another. There's no guarantee that if we had gotten the needed investment, they would approve us."

There is no franchise fee to be a dealership; owners just have to meet very stringent Harley-Davidson requirements on how the business is run.

Michael Gutterridge has signed a confidential agreement with Harley-Davidson, which will assume some inventory and Harley-Davidson signs at the store. There will be no going-out-of-business sale.

The dealership has been involved with local communities, especially those in Vermilion County, Ill., and Vermillion County, Ind. It was hard to find a fundraiser dealing with motorcycle rides that wasn't organized by, through or with the help of the Tilton business.

Linnette Gutterridge, Roger's wife and business marketing manager, found herself the coordinator of a calendar of events.

"I was happy to do it. So many people got into poker runs and pleasure rides that I kept a calendar so people could get the most participants by not scheduling events on the same day," she said.

Jeanie Cooke, executive director of the Danville Area Convention & Visitors' Bureau, has worked firsthand with the business.

"They were a great partner for the Illinois Harley Owners Group convention here," Cooke said. "I hate that the business will no longer be here, but I believe, as individuals, the Gutterridges will still help the community and tourism any way they can. It's too ingrained in them not to stay involved."

The local Harley Owners Group will also lose its chapter since it has to be sponsored by a dealership.

Bill Green, the group's director, said it plans to continue to meet and ride together, but will get a new name that is undecided as yet.

Bruce Roberts of Danville is very sorry to see the dealership close.

"I grew up two blocks from that building. I've known them forever," he said. "The reason I own a Harley is because of them. It feels like losing an old friend."

Sitting on a bench outside the business Tuesday were Kurt Gagnon, Maury Ziebart and Bob Osborne of Danville.

"We were here five days a week, winter or summer," Ziebart said. "Mike always took good care of us, always had the coffee on. We solved a lot of world problems here or inside. Now, we feel like Thursday we'll be orphans."

For Michael Gutterridge and his family, the past few days have been painfully hard.

"I cry every night," Michael said, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Harley-Davidson has chosen to close the doors due to economic reasons, which I'm sure most people can relate to," he wrote in a personal statement. "We have made many friends over our time in business and enjoyed your company. This has been a place where friends gathered, a passion for motorcycles began and many relived their childhood at a later date in their lives."