Rotorua retailer Mountain Jade is opening a store at Auckland Airport. Photo/File
A Rotorua retailer is spreading its wings and opening a flagship store at Auckland Airport.
Mountain Jade, with stores in Rotorua and Hokitika, will open a flagship store in Auckland Airport's revamped international departure area in early December.
Managing director John Sheehan Jnr said the firm, and associated carvers and artists, were excited and humbled to be part of the major new development.
Sheehan Jnr said the new store was expected to provide a boost for the jade carving industry in New Zealand because it would showcase the work of artists and craftspeople to the 10 million visitors passing through the airport each year.
"We currently collaborate with more than 20 jade artists and craftspeople, and they produce truly excellent work, ranging from jade jewellery and small carved items to higher-end art which is becoming increasingly popular," he said.
Sheehan Jnr said a number of carvers and artists who worked with Mountain Jade were themselves supporting other employees, including younger carvers.
"There's some amazing emerging talent in New Zealand and we're keen to help build their profile and have them come along on this journey of discovery with us.
"It's a great opportunity for them to create a sustainable future doing what they enjoy and have their work in front of a really wide audience."
Rotorua jade artist Lewis Gardiner, of Te Arawa, Ngati Awa, Whanau a Apanui and Ngai Tahu descent, said the opening of the Auckland Airport flagship store was great news for those working in the industry.
He has worked alongside Mountain Jade for many years and has a team of carvers in his workshop studio who are at various stages in their careers.
He hoped they'll be able to benefit from the increased exposure the new store will bring.
"I see this as helping many more carvers and artists make a living from their creativity," he said.
Gardiner said New Zealanders could be guilty of associating jade and pounamu simply with the tourist market but the new store would be a sophisticated and educational space that would revive the mana of pounamu and of carvers and artists.
For some carvers, this would mean the freedom to spend more time with a piece of stone to create a one-off sculpture, rather than generating several smaller carved items from it.
"I hope it does really well, because everybody will benefit."
Mountain Jade said the Auckland Airport store would offer a unique way to showcase artists, while also providing a window into the jade-carving world.
"Our artists will now have huge exposure to a wide range of international travellers, many of whom seek either a carved piece to remind them of New Zealand, or a high-end and unique piece of art," Sheehan Jnr said.
"This new store will be a gallery for these top works and they'll be viewed by many thousands of people each day – that's a whole new market we can provide for these talented artists and craftspeople."
The store will feature collaborations with contemporary artists and jewellers as well as hosting digital, audio and touchscreen experiences for visitors. They hoped to roll this concept out to other stores in Hokitika and Rotorua in the next three to four years.
It's estimated that up to 70 per cent of items in the Auckland Airport store will be carved from pounamu, but international jade also has a role to play.
"We are an international jade specialist and we have carvers and artists that we either employ or collaborate with who are providing carved items for us from all around the world."
Sheehan Jnr said Mountain Jade believed imported carved items had their place, and as part of being transparent and focusing on education, staff explained the origins of pieces in the stores.
"We believe that having this balance also helps preserve the precious resource in New Zealand, so that we can conserve pounamu for the best possible use."
He said the company took seriously its responsibilities in helping conserve the New Zealand pounamu resource and ensure that it was treated appropriately.
Mountain Jade has more than 70 staff across New Zealand and has employed nearly 20 additional staff for the new airport store. The company has nearly 30 staff employed in Rotorua, including four in its Rotorua carving studio.
"We're pleased to give staff the opportunity to grow within the company and give our carvers the chance to push the boundaries on their creative side and generate even more unique and interesting designs."
Sheehan expects more carvers will be taken on in the Rotorua studio, adding to existing talent.
Mountain Jade was established in the 1980s by John Sheehan Snr, who used to carve in his garage, travelling the country in winter selling his work to stores.
Rotorua was Sheehan Snr's first owner-operator store – he used to work out the back and serve the customers as they came in. He established the store on Fenton St more than 20 years ago.