Dennis Buckley at Shed 2, against the backdrop of the old woolstore that was transformed in three months to create the restaurant and bar. Shed 2 pioneered the transformation of West Quay from a fishing village to Napier's premier hospitality quarter. Photo / Doug Laing
Dennis Buckley at Shed 2, against the backdrop of the old woolstore that was transformed in three months to create the restaurant and bar. Shed 2 pioneered the transformation of West Quay from a fishing village to Napier's premier hospitality quarter. Photo / Doug Laing
The transformation of Napier’s West Quay into a restaurant and bar scene has been celebrated with the 30th birthday of foundation establishment Shed 2.
It opened on May 8, 1996, in a former Williams and Kettle (W&K) woolstore, in what was otherwise a commercial fishing village with trawlers lining theberths just across the road.
The founding partners were accountant Dennis Buckley, whose company, Database, had written computer software and developed systems for bars throughout the country, and Jeremy Baylis, who ventured into pub ownership in what became a trailblazing tenure at the central-city Criterion Hotel.
Buckley has stuck with the ship.
At the Shed this week, he recalled that it wasn’t easy getting to that opening.
It had taken more than two years to persuade W&K to sell, in December 1995. Despite Napier City Council being keen to shift nightlife away from the CBD, planners had, in the 24 hours before the advertised opening, raised more than 20 issues that had to be fixed before the action could start.
The all-clear came with just 15 minutes to spare, Buckley recalled, but the timing was immaculate.
With Hawke’s Bay’s biggest screen (2m x 2m), the All Backs soon in town for New Zealand’s first night-time rugby test, against Manu Samoa, and the first season of Super Rugby in full cry, the Shed was often chocker.
“We had never factored in that there was going to be a rugby test in town. But we had the All Blacks here for two weeks, we hosted them, then over the years there were things like the America’s Cup, Rugby World Cup. We were packed for years for the Super Rugby.”
A partnership of 30 years - Shed 2 and Star Foods, with Shed 2 proprietor Dennis Buckley (left) and current Star Foods sales manager Tewi Barbarich. Photo / Doug Laing
While the Ahuriri Tavern had existed at the western end, and had developed to become the Blue Water Tavern, Shed 2 was the only licensed premises on the quay’s eventual golden quarter-mile for the first five years.
It rocked on despite not having a front entrance for about the same time, trucks rolling past frequently within just a couple of metres, before the council agreed to the building of the deck facing the inner harbour, on leased roadway.
Sometimes it would be so busy that Buckley would be stocking the fridges from the back while the staff and customers emptied them from the front. Success brought its problems, as West Quay nightlife expanded, with other bars opening as late as 3am.
Buckley chose eventually to avoid the problems of late closing, and says the Shed typically stays open after about 9.30pm only if there are special events.
The restaurant developed under the name of Caution, which paid homage to the warnings on forklifts passing by so frequently and so close.
“We were so used to seeing that bloody sign going up and down the Quay.”
It has had up to 25 beer taps, with a local focus on both the beer (eight taps) and the other supplies. Star Foods has been on board since the start.
The biggest downs came with Covid and Cyclone Gabrielle.
“It was the hardest hit,” Buckley says. “A lot of things people would do (such as annual functions), they wouldn’t be doing any more. The sorts of things they’d do every year were no longer an automatic tick-off.”
Prime ministers, governors-general and people such as US sailor Dennis Conner have dined there, but if there’s a particularly special mention, it goes to John O’Shaughnessy, the Napier City Council town planning manager at the time it started, and who later shifted to the Hastings District Council, where a similar transformation would also take place.
“I think his vision for Ahuriri was very important.”
Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter, living in Napier since rejoining the Napier Daily Telegraph in 1987. He’s had 53 years in journalism and covered most aspects of events and issues in the city, the region, and further afield.
