Year in Review: Kōtare Māra: Waihou coffee stop becomes community hub for farmers and travellers

Jenny and Jim Stuckey of Kōtare Māra Rural Coffee Stop.

The Country looks back at some of the biggest and best stories of the past 12 months, including readers' favourites, news events and those yarns that gave us a glimpse into rural lives and livelihoods across the country.

Originally published November 15 Coast & Country News. Written by Debbie Griffiths.

A Coffee-to-Go “in the middle of nowhere” has become a community space and welcome respite for travellers.

Jim and Jenny Stuckey bought their 4000sq m Waihou property six years ago and opened Kōtare Māra Rural Coffee Stop last April, to ease their way into retirement.

Their Bailey Rd circular driveway quickly became a safe place for farmers to take some much-needed time out.

“They’re welcomed, gumboots and all,” Jenny said.

“If we’re not busy, they sit on the veranda and chat with us.”

Jim reckoned farming can be “quite lonely at times”.

“My family farmed sheep and beef in Manawatū so I know the dairy farmers around here work really hard, seven days a week.

“I thought with the importance of wellbeing being such a big thing, our cafe could be a place that people come just to get ‘off-farm’ for 10 minutes and have a coffee.”

Jenny said it was often possible to tell how someone was feeling the moment they stepped out of the car.

“Sometimes they’re not in the mood to chat and other days they want to.”

Jim retired last Easter to run Kōtare Māra, named for the family of kingfishers that often visits their garden.

Jenny continued her teaching position until December when she joined Jim behind the counter.

Image 1 of 7: Kōtare Māra Rural Coffee Stop.

“It was his great coffee that drove the business, really,” she said.

“Jim’s also great at connecting with people.”

“We make a point of making people feel welcome,” Jim said.

“Even if we’re flat out working, we make a point of looking up and saying good morning and people love that.”

Surprisingly, it’s also meant neighbours have met for the first time.

“We had someone walk in, once, he saw a familiar face and said; ‘I’ve been waving to you for two years but I’ve never actually met you’, so that’s been really cool,” Jim said.

Their coffee stop had become “a little bit of a destination,” Jenny said.

“We have people coming out from Matamata, Paeroa, Morrinsville, Te Aroha and many of those are repeat customers.”

Part of the appeal: freshly baked scones, sausage rolls and muffins with creative flavour combinations such as rhubarb with lime curd and peach-passionfruit.

“We get new people every day,” Jim said.

“Some are strangers travelling through who happen upon us when they come over the hill.

“They can’t believe there’s a coffee to go in the middle of nowhere.”

The couple had come to “love it out here,” Jenny said.

“We live in a really lovely place with a beautiful view of Mt Te Aroha.

“Every day is different and we feel as though we’re making a difference in people’s day.”