Havelock North: Closed Te Mata Mushrooms factory reborn as business hub

Kauri House Traders co-owner Quentin de Groot says he likes how quirky the site is. Photo / Warren Buckland

The closed Te Mata Mushrooms factory near Havelock North is being transformed into a “quirky” business hub as a growing number of companies opt to move in and take up a lease.

About 10 businesses have moved into the former mushroom-growing facility including artists and designers, a secondhand furniture and goods shop, a wine storage company, a construction company and a swimming pool manufacturer among others.

The sprawling site at 174 Brookvale Rd was previously home to Te Mata Mushrooms for 55 years until it was announced in August 2022 that the well-known site would close.

A big reason for the closure was housing developments getting closer and closer to the site, which led to complaints about odours and a decision to build a new mushroom plant in Takapau in Central Hawke’s Bay in the future.

The current owners of the 22ha property are now leasing out sheds and warehouses on site through 360 Realty, with plenty on offer.

Kauri House Traders were among the first tenants to move in and they opened their shop in one of the large sheds in June, selling secondhand furniture and goods.

Co-owner Quentin de Groot said they decided to move in after their rent was hiked up in Hastings, and they wanted a more affordable option.

“We actually liked how quirky it was,” he said of their new home.

“We just thought it was pretty cool to be in the middle of nowhere.

“We got down here and the birds were singing and the sun was shining and it was not police cars racing past every 10 minutes like on St Aubyn St, it was actually quite pleasant to be here.”

The site is accessed along a gravel driveway off Brookvale Rd near Havelock North and is open to the public. Photo / Warren Buckland

He said it was becoming a nice community too, among the various business owners.

“We often joke that we need a coffee cart down here soon.”

He said their customer base was certainly finding them, and their shop was open Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.

Insideout Interior Design owner Deanna Cross has moved into a freshly painted shed next to them and is enjoying the location.

It has been a big step for her business, after moving to Hawke’s Bay from Auckland right before Covid hit, meaning she has waited until recently to expand into a premises.

Interior designer Deanna Cross has moved her company into a shed on site. Photo / Warren Buckland

“It’s just great for me,” she said, of having a site for her furniture and furnishings which she can use to stage homes for sale.

She said the neighbours like Kauri House were “lovely” and it was nice to see the site transforming into a hub.

Metal Metcalfe owners and sisters Katie Baptiste and Amy Lynch opened their art workshop on-site about six months ago, and their art gallery in October.

The sisters repurpose 44-gallon drums and turn them into artworks.

Upon inspecting the premises, they knew it was a perfect fit, and shifted from their old premises nearby.

“It is sad the mushrooms have had to move, but selfishly it is great because we have got this space,” Baptiste said.

A laneway of sheds with plenty of potential. Some have already been leased. Photo / Warren Buckland

“There is a lot of opportunity here to be this kind of space that just inspires really.”

Baptiste said they both hail from Britain and the site had the potential to become like parts of London, which had been transformed from a grungy area into a desirable area.

Lynch said the laneway which runs through the site “lends itself to having multiple workshops” and businesses.

The pair have plans to turn the greenspace behind their gallery into “some kind of sculpture garden and mini event space” in 2024, and they have a lease for at least three years.

Their gallery is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to noon.

Vesica - which was behind the Walk of Wonders art show at Black Barn - has also recently moved into one of the sheds as a design and workshop space.

The owners of the site preferred not to comment.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.