Business expansion from the floor

Everyone knows him locally as Big Al - Alistair Hargrove to be more exact - but the marketing ploy has stuck.

He was born in London, raised in Sussex, and had run his own printing operation before choosing to live in Kerikeri. His wife, Jules, was born and raised here as part of the Zivkovich family, and when they came over for Christmas holidays it became progressively harder to leave. So they didn't.

 

He has successfully run Carpet Court in Kerikeri with his partners for around six years which is not bad considering the business he bought wasn't actually for sale and he'd never 'done' flooring before. He replied to an advertisement for a carpet business. Except the advertisement should have been for the business next door but after discussing these things with the incumbent carpet shop owner the old adage became apparent - everyone has a price and four months later the rest, as they also say, is history.

 

Now Big Al is opening a new service in Kaitaia under market conditions some would suggest are hardly ideal, a contracting economy. He doesn't see it that way at all.

 

"It's an opportunity and we are all working together to give the best service we can. And it is

always about service and having a fabulous

brand, a great product."

 

He describes the economy of the Mid and Far North as 'two speed'. As some are choosing to head to Australia for work there are others who remain and who are making a go of things. But not without effort.

 

"You have to fight like an alley cat to keep going. You have to work very hard to be a success and you have to really want it."

 

So Kaitaia beckons and if credentials are the most important criteria for managing a new venture, then one Kaitaia woman is eminently qualified.

 

Jackie Thompson has lived in the town for all but two years of her life. Her first job was as retail sales person in what was then called Disc Inn, the music division of Monty Knight's department store which offered appliances, jewellery and music. She only moved on when the business was sold and it was then she entered what is literally the ground floor - initially working part time selling and measuring carpets, vinyls, laminates and other

flooring requirements. She has been 20 years in the business ever since and at the beginning of August Carpet Court Kaitaia opened its doors.

 

"I'm in the red and black office in Commerce Street with the rhino on the roof so it will be distinctive and from there I can measure and quote on demand."

 

Jackie will also be on the road inamobile van which carries numerous samples and her territory is large - every town and village from Kaeo northwards.