New building heartens Foster family

Almost two years after their Dargaville businesses were destroyed by the town's largest fire in more than 40 years - the Foster family are back under one roof again - bigger and brighter than ever before.
"It's awesome - we are now fully back in business," said Arron Foster.
A faulty switchboard started the January 5, 2009, blaze in lower Victoria St - gutting the large Fosters Home Decorating store, adjoining Resene Colourshop and Main Street Interiors, Red Cross Opportunity Shop, Lyndsey Bargh Physiotherapy and also damaging the Blockbuster Video Shop.
The 103-year-old buildings were owned by Ken and Elain Foster - the furniture shop being managed by their son Arron and the Colourshop by son Greg. It took over 100 firefighters to contain and extinguish the fire.
Within days the family rallied around, put a caravan on the site and kept locals supplied with paint supplies. It took just over two months to get temporary premises built for the colourshop and six months for a small furniture shop to get up and running.
At the time Ken Foster said the fire had been "really heartbreaking ... it's 25 years of my life down the tubes ... But we will get up again, we can't leave the street like this - it's got a huge hole."
True to his word, a brand new shopping complex has been completed and is open for business.
The grand opening drew the crowds and "has continued since ... the support has been overwhelming ... and humbling", said Arron.
"A lot of people said they were just waiting for us. We've been missing out on a lot - out of town customers in particular, because we had less stock and the back street location wasn't as good," he said.
Elain Foster admitted that although they had been insured, the fire had put a huge personal strain on the family. "Insurance helps, but it is never enough and we were lucky in that we still had our houses ... and our family," she said.
"If we weren't as close as we are, we wouldn't have pulled it through." Now back under one roof the larger premises has meant the range has increased considerably.
"We have gone New Zealand made where we can, and all the imports are trusted names we have dealt with for a long time - all come with the normal great service which we pride ourselves on - we're back on track," said Arron.
Previous tenant Lyndsey Bargh Physiotherapy has already moved from her temporary premises into the new five-store complex. Three other stores are available for tenancy.
The remaining businesses have already relocated and re-opened elsewhere in the town.