Northland furniture businesses unconcerned by Freedom opening in Whangārei

Pikiteora Nathan from Te Parawhau and Freedom NZ managing director managing director Zoe Hertelendi help officially open the Whangārei Freedom store on Thursday. Photo / Denise Piper

Australian furniture chain store Freedom has opened a new branch in Whangārei but smaller local businesses say they still have an edge to offer customers.

Freedom officially opened with a pōwhiri on Thursday evening, although the furniture and homeware store on Gumdigger Place has been open since January 23.

The new company store is about meeting customer demand, with numerous Whangārei residents already shopping at its smaller Waipapa shop, travelling to Auckland or buying online, said managing director Zoe Hertelendi.

Freedom, which is owned by Australian company Greenlit Brands, now has 11 company stores in New Zealand and two franchises.

Hertelendi admitted the economy has been very challenging for retail sales since the Covid pandemic began in 2020.

In 2022, Freedom was criticised for not meeting delivery times and in 2023 it faced a large increase in shipping costs due to terrorism in the Red Sea. It posted a $9.2 million loss in New Zealand for the year to October 1, 2023.

“Last year, although it was quite a challenging year, we’ve managed to really turn it around and turn a profit,” Hertelendi said.

Freedom’s focus on its people in its support centre, distribution centre and retail stores contributed to the change.

The success led to growth of the business with the Whangārei branch, which was set up in a record time of seven and a half weeks, Hertelendi said.

“In Whangārei, the excitement that we’ve experienced from everyone has been phenomenal - from local leaders to the business community - it’s really heartwarming.”

Freedom’s promotions for its new store have included an “art activation” where local artist Olivia Garelja painted a sofa, the grand opening featuring musician Troy Kingi and cocktails by Astroboy, and gelato giveaways by Bocky-Boo in store this weekend.

Local artist Olivia Garelja painted a Freedom Aero sofa with a unique design to help promote the opening of the Whangārei Freedom store.

This sort of marketing and promotion is something independent stores can’t possibly match, said David Faber, owner of Whangārei store Fabers Furnishings.

But stores like Fabers can still succeed with a loyal customer base, as it has been established for 83 years and run by four generations, he said.

“Our customers have bought off my dad or my granddad. Some even remember the shop on Bank St, which moved in 1984 - it’s a long time ago.”

Fabers also offers high-quality furniture, with brands like La-Z-Boy outperforming the market, Faber said.

High-quality and good value are also the focus for Bay of Islands furniture maker Lloyd Brooke-Anderson, who makes one-of-a-kind, handmade wooden furniture.

Lloyd Brooke-Anderson says bespoke furniture makers like him have a relationship with their customers.

His business Lloyd Brooke Furniture has “almost no hope” of competing with the marketing budget from the likes of Freedom or Harvey Norman, but the business is still thriving.

While attention to detail, a lifetime guarantee and ability to make pieces to suit specific spaces are important, customers also value the relationship with the maker, he said.

“I’ve realised that customers love having a story to tell, instead of their homes looking like a magazine. People can say, ‘We talked to Lloyd and he made this piece for us ... We worked together.’”

Brooke-Anderson said every time another outlet opens, the opportunity for such connections and relationships is lost.

“I really value the connection I have with my clients. It’s a special part of what I do.”

He thought Northland could thrive by nurturing trust in local artisans.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.