Glenda Moore and Robyn Curd - sisters and co-owners of Bernina Sewing Centre Tauranga. Photo / Megan Wilson
Glenda Moore and Robyn Curd - sisters and co-owners of Bernina Sewing Centre Tauranga. Photo / Megan Wilson
After 51 years on Cameron Rd, a family business is moving to a new premises in Tauranga.
Robyn Curd and Glenda Moore are sisters and co-owners of Bernina Sewing Centre Tauranga. Their parents started the business in 1970 and the pair have owned it for the past 16 years.
Berninahad been one of several businesses on Cameron Rd that had expressed concerns about the expected impacts of the futureproofing Cameron Rd project.
Currently located on the corner of Cameron Rd and 5th Ave, the council originally proposed turning 5th Ave (west) into a cul-de-sac.
Curd notified the owners of the building who then complained to the council, citing parking and accessibility issues for their customers.
In what Curd described as "a bizarre twist", the owners of the building contacted "whoever they needed to get hold of" - the outcome was that 5th Ave would no longer be turned into a cul-de-sac.
Bernina Sewing Centre Tauranga will be moving to a new premises on 15th Ave in September. Photo / Megan Wilson
Tauranga city council's director of transport Brendan Bisley confirmed access to 5th Ave would remain left in, left out and the council was working through the detailed design.
The council responded to public feedback after the community expressed concern about the proposed cul-de-sac of 5th Ave (west).
People and businesses at 5th Ave (east) were concerned about a change to left out only and how it would impact the safety of students, access to their properties, and traffic flow.
These concerns were also reiterated by residents on Arundel St.
But Bernina is now having to move anyway because their lease is expiring and they cannot renew it.
"[The owners] pretty much made it happen that the road wasn't going to close because this is their building," Curd said.
"After all that, we're having to move."
Bernina has signed a new lease for a building on 15th Ave with suitable parking, which was "the biggest thing" for their customers.
"We have a lot of older customers and we need to be able to cater for them, as well as all our other customers."
Curd said it had been "really hard" to find somewhere with good amenities where people could park right by the door, and people with walkers could easily access the store.
"The best part about the building is all the parking at the back is flat-level. People find it quite hard here on an angle."
Bernina Sewing Centre Tauranga runs sewing, patchwork and embroidery classes, and had student classes in the holidays. Photo / Megan Wilson
Curd said while they were sad about leaving Cameron Rd, they were "very nervous and excited" about the move.
"I would never have gone to 15th Ave but the [traffic] lights are fantastic down there. The council has done that part really well."
"We need to carry on our parents' legacy and that's what we're prepared to do," she said.
"We just have to re-invent ourselves once again and we will do.
"We hope that our customers will be loyal and they will follow us."
In 2012, Bernina moved from the corner of 11th Ave and Cameron Rd and gave a donation to Tauranga Boys' College in return for the first XV rugby team to help. Curd said they would look to do the same this time.
"They help us move and we give them a donation so that's what we like to do – [we're] always trying to do things like that for the community."
Bernina will be open at their new premises on 44 15th Ave from the second week of September.
Sewing classes
Bernina runs sewing, embroidery and patchwork classes.
Their Bernina club, which Curd teaches monthly, has more than 200 members,
Curd said the business offered free "learn their machine" classes for new buyers.
"So they're not just buying a machine and disappearing – they get a really good back-up service and they can come in any time for free lessons for learning [about] their sewing machine.
"That's how we've run it for the last 51 years and we'll continue to do that."
