Kiwi wine store appeal exceeds £35,000 target

Melanie Brown's campaign to raise £35,000 to set up a specialist wine store in Brixton, London exceeded its target.

A New Zealand woman who launched a Kickstarter campaign in the hopes of raising £35,000 ($68,000) to set up a specialist wine store in Brixton, London has raised almost £40,000 - five days out from the campaign ending.

Melanie Brown said she was delighted and humbled with the result of her campaign and the support she had received from both the UK and New Zealand.

Although she had reached her original target, Brown said she was gratefully receiving additional as they enabled her to do "bigger and better" things.

She said she arrived in London 10 years ago and it had always been her dream to open a dedicated New Zealand wine store.

That dream resulted in her establishing a dedicated website The New Zealand Cellar last year and Brown said she now had the opportunity to move into a dedicated retail space.

"I created the New Zealand Cellar to introduce the very best of New Zealand to the UK market," Brown says in her Kickstarter video.

"I've now been given an opportunity to turn my dream of having a retail premises into a reality.

"But the reality is, I can't do it without your help."

See the Kickstarter video here:

Brown said the funds raised would help transform what was essentially a shell into a captivating retail space.

The Kickstarter campaign offers eight tiers of rewards for pledges starting from £10 up to £1000+.

Rewards include tickets to the launch party, limited-edition prints, Riedel tasting glasses and private wine events with Brown and her team.

Her campaign video includes statements of support from former All Black Sean Fitzpatrick, chef Peter Gordon and president of the New Zealand Society UK Tania Bearsley.

As of 4pm today, 176 people had pledged almost £40,000 towards the campaign.

Brown said the £35,000 asked for was the minimum amount required for The New Zealand Cellar to build, design and fit out the space with everything from shelves and light fittings to new systems and training.

The walls would be lined with more than 200 New Zealand wines from 72 producers and customers would be able to taste and buy by the glass or carafe any of 12 wines being served at the time.