Former fashion designer, sewer and maker Chelsea Thorpe (left) is naming her new fabric shop Arthur’s, as a salute to well-known Gisborne fabric retailer Arthur Toye of Arthur Toye’s Fabrics on Gladstone Rd.
Congratulations to Chelsea Thorpe and Leigh Rutherford for opening their new shop, “Arthur’s” (Gisborne Herald, Thursday, pages 2-3) at 109 Gladstone Rd, which we must support.
This area I know well as my late parents opened J.N. Berrys Ltd, Fine China, Crystal, Paintings etc in 1946 at 111 Gladstone Rd,
on the left-hand side of the access way and Stoneham’s, Jewellers and Watchmakers on the right-hand side.
There was a tea room, in the past, at the rear of this now closed-off access way.
As a child at Mangapapa School, I caught the town bus, with the help of my lovely teacher, Miss Scott, getting off at Charlie Brown’s, men’s outfitters, on the corner of Peel St and Gladstone Rd, where the Hospice shop is now.
My parents’ first staff member, Joy, met me and we’d walk to “Berry’s”.
