Hamish Wain and partner Lisa Heenan at the new Cowboy Junkies antiques and collectibles shop at Okara. Photo / John Stone
In this week's Business Bulletin column, Christine Allen reports on movement in the Northland business community, from new businesses to new faces, and some well-known stores with new locations
WE'RE OPEN
There's nothing quite like the sparkle of a new store and some retailers in Northland are enjoying that glow this month.
Hamish Wain and his partner Lisa Heenan have just opened the colourful Cowboy Junkies Antiques and Collectibles at 2 Okara Drive in Whangarei.
At the old site of Dive, Dive, Dive, on the roundabout near Countdown, the new store is jam-packed with everything from paintings and vinyl records, to silverware and taxidermy.
Hamish is from Whangarei, and went to art school in Nelson, where he ran the art department of the World of Wearable Arts show.
He then went on to work on The Lord of the Rings crew as a prop maker and a set builder on a number of Peter Jackson movies, including The Hobbit.
Cowboy Junkies is named after a Canadian country blues band and is open six days a week.
A new restaurant has opened up in the Town Basin in Whangarei. Not to be confused with the Kiwi mocumentary about a shellfish with the properties of Viagra, the new restaurant in Whangarei is called Love Mussel.
The eatery with a seafood focus is owned by Craig and Sandra Woods, who are also the managing directors of the popular Kensington Tavern and Red Pizzeria.
Joining them in the venture are Rick and Marrissa Codlin, directors of the Pembrooke Motor Lodge. They are also the former management team for Settlers Motel, Whangarei, and Kingsgate Hotel, Paihia. The restaurant is open from 11am each day.
If you like the tapas or seafood and fresh market produce, compliments must be directed towards head chef, Michelin trained Jay Maunder.
WE'RE MOVING
While one outlet has opened in the Town Basin, another is moving away from Quayside.
After 20 years at the Town Basin, Country Trenz is expanding and moving to a new retail showroom at 17 Port Rd.
Located at the former site of Against The Grain furniture store, and now known as Trenz Online, owner Sue Stevens is saying it could be Northland's biggest souvenir store when it opens on Labour Weekend.
Also moving in Whangarei, due to expansion, is the M3 Clinic and The loft, Yoga and Pilates studio, which is now at 51 Commerce St, since relocating on September 21. Owned and managed by Whangarei brother and sister duo Alyse and Brent Morgan, the business was established in 2004.
They might have been part of the furniture on John St since 2011, but now John St Traders is moving up to Bank St.
Marty Prinsep, an interior designer and furniture dealer originally from Auckland but now of Tamaterau, bought John St Traders from Gordon Main in January 2014. Marty opened up the second John St Traders on the corner of Walton and Robert streets in May this year.
But now the John St store is moving to 18 Bank St, for better footfall. The canopy area of the building, which was a drycleaners and once a garage, will provide great coverage for the second-hand furniture and antiques, and oak range of furniture.
The owner, who has taken on a nine-year lease of the property, said the extra traffic was the main reason for the move.
"It's getting quiet on John St these days."
He said the outdoor area offered an additional bonus. The property, he said, had been vacant for more than three years.
The new, bigger store will open on Saturday at 7am, just in time for the Growers Market traffic.
NEW FACES
The Rusty Tractor Cafe and Trading Store in Kerikeri has some new owners. The cafe and store was taken over by Yolande Strydom in July 2014.
But on September 1 this year, four partners - Nick Duley, Jen Lowe and Denis and Christine Callesen - took over the Kerikeri business. The cafe will continue but the trading store will now focus on non-perishable food and beverage products.
Chef Nick is European-trained and has worked with master chef Simon Gault for five years. He has also worked as executive sous chef at The Hilton Taupo and executive chef at Return To Paradise Resort in Samoa. Cafe manager Jen also worked with Nick at these locations.
Denis and Christine have worked in resort hotels from 1993 to 2009, including time as general managers of the Hermitage Hotel at Aoraki Mount Cook.
Meanwhile, there aren't new faces but a new face for the store as Supervalue has become FreshChoice in Ruakaka.
The store is under the ownership of Michelle Alison and Grant Egan and reopened as FreshChoice on Monday, September 21. As well as the new fitout, the store has more than 3700 more products.
The original SuperValue Ruakaka opened in September 2006.
WE'RE CLOSING
Mercy Clothing on Rathbone St is closing down but Ruth Gayford will reopen her studio at her new Kensington home from November.
Having been at the Rathbone St location for three years, Ruth said she was making the transition back to a more family-friendly work schedule, and a studio in her new home.
Ruth creates the handmade, homegrown boutique range, from design to retail, without outsourcing any services.
She is also focusing her sales through the Mercy Clothing Facebook page and has some stock at Ray Anderson's clothing store on John St called Wore And Piece.
- If you know of any new, moving or closing business, those for sale or with a new franchisee, email biz@northern advocate.co.nz or call Christine Allen on 09 470 2838.