Asaf Rifat has run KAC with his wife Linda and son Grant for 17 years. It is Stoke Newington's leading DIY shop, and one of the oldest shops on Church Street.

What attracted you to Stoke Newington?

I started working at KAC when I was 17, as a van driver, earning £6 a week. In those days it was a builders' merchants. I used to get covered in cement and go to the bathhouse (today's leisure centre) to wash it all off. I met my wife Linda, who was working in a dry-cleaners opposite, where Oakwood Estate Agents is today. She was a true Stokey girl. We got married in what used to be the town hall.

Where does the name 'KAC' come from?

Mr Kac, a Polish Jew, opened the shop in the 1950s. I bought it from him 17 years ago. I kept the name. Changing it would have been like buying Harrods and changing the name - it wouldn't have been right.

Is there a typical KAC customer?

During the week, it's all women. They come in for everything; paint brushes, DIY stuff, plumbing equipment-you name it. There are lots of single women in this neighbourhood, and they like to do their own DIY. Some of them also seem to fancy my son, Grant.

What is your best-selling item? 

Mouse-traps. Not a day goes by without us selling one. The topseller is our standard wooden model, 'Little Nippers' (£1.15), but we also sell electronic ones for £42. All the restaurants around here leave rubbish on the pavements. So rats and mice are a problem. (During the interview, two customers do indeed come in to buy mouse-traps). 

Do you enjoy working so closely with your family?

We do have our fights, as our regular customers know. But I love my work. Every day I meet new people and have new challenges. Grant's been working here since he was 12. When I retire he'll take over. My daughters Aysha and Leyla have also worked here on and off. 

Pet hates about Stoke Newington?

Hackney Council is useless. I think we should get another party in to run it. Labour have been in it for too long.

What other shops and businesses would you like to see in Church Street?

I wish there were more ordinary, down-to-earth shops, like a butcher's or a greengrocer's. We don't need any more fancy bars or restaurants.

Where do you go to escape the shop?

I used to go to Clissold Park to watch people playing boules, but that doesn't happen anymore.

Where would we find you on a Saturday night after shutting up shop?

At home in Hertfordshire, relaxing. At the moment our first grandchild, Evie, is staying with us. It's a great chance for Linda and me to bond with her as grandparents.

Hopes and dreams for the future?

Next year I'm planning to revamp the shop-front, and build two flats upstairs. And Linda and I hope to build a property in northern Cyprus, where we can disappear to. We have some land there, and I'm Turkish, so it's a good place to escape to.