New owner planning big changes to building franchise

Shelly Varnam, the new owner of Guthrie Bowron franchise. Photo/George Novak

Shelly Varnam relocated to the Bay of Plenty from Hamilton in order to take over the Tauranga franchise of national decorating chain Guthrie Bowron.

Ms Varnham said she had been researching Tauranga's business prospects for some time before making the move and had noted the area was on a growth curve, especially in the housing market.

"Business has definitely been picking up," she said.

The Guthrie Bowron franchise model had been successfully applied to stores across the country, which were of various footprints and customer geographies, said Paul Brljevich, a director of Tabak Business Sales, which brokered the sale.

Ms Varnham was taking over from owners who had retired after owning the franchise for many years, and she would be making some big changes to the business, said Mr Brljevich.

"She's looking forward to taking part in the building and renovation boom taking place."
Ms Varnam, who began running the business in May, said she had been looking for a change of scenery and an opportunity to get back into business now that her children had grown up and left home. She operated her own business many years ago, but has more recently worked in social services.

"I've been coming to Tauranga for many years at the weekends to visit friends and it was just a progressive move." Once she made the decision, her parents also decided to relocate to the Bay from their home in Auckland.

The wholly operator-owned Guthrie Bowron franchises offer a full range of residential decorating products including flooring, wallpaper, paint, decorating tools, blinds, curtain and homewares. Guthrie Bowron also has a service agreement with Dulux, which allows stores to sell paint to Dulux Trade account holders.

"I was looking to get back into a business and Guthrie Bowron was in one of the three areas I was interested in. Interiors are a passion of mine."

The Tauranga branch of the well-established brand was started in 1987. There is also another franchise operator in Mount Maunganui.

Guthrie Bowron
Founded in 1896
Listed in 1963
Bought by ICI in 1971
Sold to a management team in 1992 and turned into an owner-operator franchise system.