Time's up for 100-year-old Te Kuiti firm

The clock has stopped running for Te Kuiti jewellers R. Fenton & Son after more than 100 years. Photo / Christine Cornege

When Robert Fenton opened his jewellery store in Te Kuiti in 1908, he could not have foreseen the shop's staying power, trading for 104 years and passing down through three generations of his family.

But at the end of this month, R. Fenton & Son will close its doors for the last time, as owner Jean Wicks retires.

Mrs Wicks, Robert Fenton's grand-daughter, took over the store from her uncle in 1980 and has run the business for 32 years.

Mr Fenton moved to the King Country town from Taranaki and opened the store on the main street.

He built it into a successful business, taking on one of his sons, Geoff.

When Geoff Fenton wanted to retire, the shop was offered around the family and Mrs Wicks put up her hand.

"We were living in Taupo and I'd worked for my father [Jack] who had a jeweller shop. It's in the family."

Each of Robert Fenton's five children owned jewellery stores in the upper North Island at one time or another, Mrs Wicks said.

She said the closure was not related to struggling economies in rural New Zealand, but more to do with her retirement and advancing technology.

"It's not because it's going poorly. It's just time for me to get out and I'm not prepared to sell on the name."

The 67-year-old said the business these days was completely different from when her grandfather started it.

"The whole thing has been an amazing journey. It's been enjoyable, but things have changed.

"With online shopping everything's different. There's not as many reps on the road and it's everywhere, not just jewellers."

She said much of the ordering for businesses was now done on the internet, but she did not like buying anything she had not seen.

Mrs Wicks plans to enjoy her grandchildren and relax into retirement in Te Kuiti.

"It's a neat place to live. I'm not moving. Why would you?"