New businesses and renovations pay off in bringing new life to Whanganui street

SourBros' Matt Ellingham (left) and John Wilson have joined the businesses operating in Drews Ave. Photo / Copy Cats Agency

A spate of renovations and new businesses is paying off for Drews Ave, with the Whanganui street growing into a thriving communal hub for the central city.

Whanganui & Partners (W&P) business strategic lead Suzanne Hepi said the street represented the city’s eclectic nature.

“The beautifully restored shop fronts elevate Whanganui’s appeal and perfectly complement our identity as a place that treasures its heritage architecture and culture,” she said.

Although it was difficult to isolate the area from the rest of the city to determine its economic impact, W&P’s consumer spend data showed the lower blocks of the city had recorded very good recent growth.

The statistics showed growth in the lower CBD, which cuts down the middle of Drews Ave, was up 7.7 per cent in July 2023 compared with July 2022.

Comparing three-month total spend statistics from May 2023 to July 2023, the lower CBD was up 11.1 per cent.

“We know the area is important, but perhaps under-utilised over the busy summer holidays and events periods, and having more businesses around Drews Ave will help meet demand at those times,” Hepi said.

Businesses opening and shifting to the street supported the area’s reputation as a hub for locals and visitors, she said.

Victoria Dental owner Hadleigh Reid owns a string of historic buildings along the street, from the corner of Ridgway St to the corner of Rutland St.

He first purchased the old Cosmopolitan building, now called Victoria House, to move his dental practice into and later bought the neighbouring buildings at auction, when he was the only bidder.

“When I bought them, they were on their last legs. To get to where they are now, they were almost rebuilt,” Reid said.

He bought the buildings with the plan to turn them into inner city apartments but had been surprised by how much commercial interest there was in the street.

SourBros Bakery and Pizzeria is one of the most recent businesses to take up residence on the street, after outgrowing its previous location on Ingestre St around six months ago.

Co-founder Matt Ellingham said the recent developments reflected the way a town centre should feel.

“It feels like a great community of like-minded business owners who understand the concept of a rising tide lifting all boats,” he said.

The bakery started as a stall selling sourdough bread at the Whanganui River Markets in 2018 but had since branched out to selling coffee, sweet baking, sandwiches and toasties, with sourdough pizzas now on offer in the evening.

The newest Drews Ave business is The Teal Lounge, a mid-century-style bar upstairs from SourBros.

The bar is owned by husband and wife Chris and Tanya Hayton, and Chris said he had designed the space to be somewhere to sell his handcrafted, Gonville-brewed beer, as well as selling New Zealand wine and cocktails.

He said Drews Ave had changed a lot since upgrades were made to the street’s historic buildings and streetscape.

“There is definitely more colour and vibrancy to the area and the foot traffic has greatly increased,” he said.