Spencer mural a nod to ’70s start for family business

SINCE 1977: Kate and Adrian Clarke are very happy with the new ’70s-themed mural on Gisborne Carpets’ main road premises which is getting the thumbs up from customers and passersby. Picture by Paul Rickard

Gisborne Carpets is making a bold branding statement with the new mural on the side of its premises on Gladstone Road.

“We’ve been planning it for a while and wanted to make the most of the exposed wall and the central location,” says owner Adrian Clarke.

The result is a modern look using the rolling carpet theme of an earlier design, painted in strong retro colours to fit with the ’70s theme.

Adrian enlisted the help of his friend, graphic designer Matt Clapham, to come up with the logo which he had printed on to T-shirts and caps. He later got mural artist Kell Sunshine to incorporate the logo in a full-scale mural. Kelly has painted the outline of home furnishings on the mural with framed pictures of the family members.

“We thought it would be a nice touch to get the three generations in there somehow,” Adrian says. So there’s a framed outline of his parents John and Andrea from a photo taken in the ’70s, one of Adrian and his wife Kate from a photo of them dressed for a ’70s-themed party and one of their three boys Angus, William and Victor.

The mural is getting plenty of positive feedback from friends and customers, he says.

Gisborne Carpets is a family business started by John and Andrea Clarke in 1977. Adrian remembers working there as a 13 year old and right through his high school years, and is grateful to have learned a trade at a young age.

He is determined to teach his own three boys in the same way, as he believes a trade is something that will always be a valuable skill to have.

He didn’t always plan to work in the family business and did a business degree at university before working for a time in finance.

One thing he has learned is how well people can do if they become good at a trade like carpet laying.

“If you’re good at it you can make a very good living, and it’s always a great skill to have — you’ll always be able to get work overseas if you have a trade.”

Locally owned and operated, Gisborne Carpets is part of the Flooring Xtra retail group which has 61 stores nationwide.