Mizuho (Mitzi) Abe opened her Wa sushi shop in December 2009 and, after a slow start, it now has a steady supply of customers. When she expands into the empty cafe next door, she's planning to open Wednesday-Saturday nights and offer more traditional Japanese meals.
Lawyer Caryl Blomkvist has just opened her new business, Employment Resolutions (Whanganui) in one of the upstairs offices. She aims to act as an advocate on legal matters that relate to employment.
Also new on the scene is Shelley Quinn, with her Holistic Health and Fitness Studio. She's planning to hold private and group sessions in meditation, nutrition, yoga, relaxation and pilates. Liz Covolan is the pilates instructor.
Two artists have adjoining studios on the court's ground floor and had a lot of visitors during the Whanganui Artists' Open Studios weekends this year.
Gaynor Mulholland is there for at least three days a week, finding it a handy place to get on with her painting without the distractions of home.
She's liking the place because people feel free to walk in and see what she's doing.
About a third of her visitors are tourists and sometimes they buy paintings.
And she was the one who organised the other women to tell the Chronicle what they do.
"I just think it's a gorgeous little arcade and it could be really good," she said.
Next door to her is full-time artist Jo Melville, with large and lively portraits of pets and paintings of outdoor life in Australia on display.
She specialises in animal portraits and commission work and gives art classes.
Upstairs and accessed from Watt St is the place where Amanda Weck and Catherine Bronniman work with parents and families who have had distressing times with babies and childbirth.
Their office is open five days a week and has become a drop-in centre, with someone available at the end of a phone 24/7. They said much of their work was voluntary and done out in the community.
Victoria Court is owned by Wellington man Neville Tamplin and the women say he is a very good landlord.
