After 45 years of hard work & devotion he will have to close his store sometime this year. He unlike this person, worries about his employees who have worked for him over twenty years. They both are undereducated, married and have young children.Both were young (16) school dropouts but willing to work hard and learn the trade. He paid them well and rewarded them with a good bonus at the end of the year.
What he worries about is who will pay them as much as they have become accustom to? Any other business will only see them as grunts. They will not see their devotion, their ability to solve any problems they're confronted with on the job in a timely manner. Worst yet, is they have worked most of their lives in a business which is fading away.
Today most children would rather sit in a chair and play video games than pick up a cue stick and play a game of pool.
I think the point the writer is making is that he is tired of the burden vs. return ratio, that the government is removing any incentive for him to stay in business.
Having unnecessary roadblocks put in front of you every time you try to succeed gets old very quick, after a while you just say it's not worth it anymore.