Live Celtic music, memorabilia and long-established friendships all reinforced the importance of the building to the community, as well as the town's history with its strong links to early Scottish settlers.
The restored building is a credit to the town and will become an asset for the community for years to come, according to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland Manager Bill Edwards.
"The transformation that has taken place with this building is impressive, and it positively adds to the streetscape values of the town," he said.
The interiors have been tastefully refurbished with polished original rimu floors, chandeliers and stunning heritage tiles, all sympathetic to the historic nature of the building.
The original bank vault and brick fireplaces were carefully reinstated to become highlights within the building.
"They've done a tremendous job restoring this building into a functional, modern space," Edwards said.
According to owner Lindy Davis, the restoration project was both challenging and rewarding.
"I'm happy to see the vision for this significant historic building finally come to fruition and become a place we can all enjoy in the future," she said.
"As Marcus Garvey so aptly puts it; a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture, is like a tree without roots."
Author and journalist Davis and her family took ownership of the old National Bank of New Zealand building just over a year ago.
What followed was a hands-on apprenticeship on the rudiments of heritage conservation. She engaged an all-local crew of tradies and builders who have taken pride in the Nova Scotia Junction project but border closures meant she had to take on the role of project manager herself.
Unlocking the secrets of the building wasn't always straightforward. There were three chimneys but two were difficult to locate and turned out to be in awful condition behind gibbed walls.
But Davis said the quality and workmanship of timber joinery from last century was superior to anything she had seen mass-produced.
Feedback from the community about the renovation has been overwhelmingly positive and complimentary, and Heritage Northland Inc has agreed to fund an HNZPT listing plaque in appreciation of the restoration work Davis has done on the Waipū landmark.
