New Tauranga store owners feeling positive about prospects

The owners of a new store set to open in Tauranga are pushing ahead with plans to open in mid-February despite some people not feeling buoyant about the region's prospects.

Rowan Ngati and his business partner and mother Lesley Sparke will open their fourth shop in their chain of stores in mid-February called The Cloud House.

The store will sell electronic cigarettes to starter kits, vape pens, E-juices and accessories, the pair said.

The Cloud House also has an online shop selling the most popular industry brands.

Ngati said the first shop in the chain of stores opened last February in Rotorua and was followed by two further stores in Birkenhead and Onehunga in Auckland

Ngati and Sparke said they had invested in the industry to cater for the huge demand from people wanting to quit smoking and customers who wanted another alternative.

"We have targeted our business at the average smoker needing help to do so," they said.

Ngati said while there were other similar businesses along Cameron Rd, they had no doubt their Tauranga store would be successful.

"We would have opened our first store in Tauranga but had difficulty finding a suitable affordable site and when this lease came free we jumped at the chance," Sparke said.

Ngati said some people may be feeling less confident in the region's prospects but he put that down to a bit of unease about the new Government.