After 35 years in Te Awamutu, Waipā's only Trade Aid will shut its doors for good this week.
After 35 years in Te Awamutu, Waipā's only Trade Aid will shut its doors for good this week.
The decision has come as the store approaches its renewal of lease, sales decline and long-time worker Lois Titchener retires.
Lois was disappointed to hear the news of the closure.
"I am more than happy with my decision to retire but I'm very upset that Trade Aid has decided to close the store," she says.
Lois has been with the store for 22 years. She started out as a volunteer — like many do — before becoming store manager 11 years ago.
Trade Aid sources handmade, fair trade products from more than 65 trading partner organisations, which represent hundreds and thousands of small farmers and artisans in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Palestine and the Pacific.
The store became affiliated with the Trade Aid movement 25 years ago, 10 years after Te Awamutu man Arie Bekx started selling fair trade goods out of his car boot.
Lois believes the store is a wonderful way to help people in the Third World and she, alongside customers and volunteers, is disappointed the district will no longer be able to contribute in this way.
Trade Aid chief executive Geoff White says there are a number of reasons for the closure.
Geoff says long-term workers and volunteers are retiring and the building's lease was about to expire.
For many years the store thrived, Geoff says.
"I want to emphasise that the store was a very popular one and was one of our most profitable. It generated a lot of money back into the Trade Aid movement," he says.
But for the last three years the store has been running at a loss.
"We looked at all these reasons and decided it was probably time to close the shop," Geoff says.
Lois had also noticed a decline in sales.
"We aren't getting the support we used to," she says.
"Trade Aid has crunched the numbers and it's just not viable to stay open any more."
Despite the disappointing news, Lois is proud of the store.
"I want to thank the volunteers and the community. They have all contributed to the Trade Aid movement and I'm proud that we have achieved this."
The last trading day for the store will be Saturday, July 28 and until then most things in store are half price. A variety of shop fittings will also be available to purchase.
Anything not sold after the store closure will be distributed around the country to other stores.
Opening night will kick off in Hamilton with a screening of Monsieur Aznavour.