Lockdown put new Dannevirke business on hold

Mystic Mermaid owner Carolyn Cox in her newly opened shop on Dannevirke's High St.Photo / Sue Emeny

When Carolyn Cox decided to move her online business up a notch and open a shop in Dannevirke the timing couldn't have been worse.

She was set to open Mystic Mermaid on Monday, March 23, but two days later the country went into lockdown.

"We had been planning the opening of the shop for six weeks, but we had seen what was
coming so it wasn't too much of a shock," Carolyn said.

She finally opened the doors on May 14 after the country moved into alert level 2.

Cox said it had been a slow but steady start to the business, but she had received much positive feedback.

While opening a retail store is a new venture for Cox, being a business owner is not.

She has been running two online businesses for a number of years.

The first business she established, in 2015, was Black Rose, which supplies alternative clothing and accessories.

Cox established her second business, Mystic Mermaid, out of necessity.

"I have always had sensitive skin and had trouble finding products that didn't irritate it so I started making my own bath products and eventually started making them for other people and then started selling them online."

Cox has created her own bath bombs, bubble bath, body wash and shower steamers.

"The products evolved through lots of research and lots of failures."

She said one product line that had really taken off was the body washes that come in IV bags and have unusual names such as leprechaun blood.

"The first one I created I called zombie strain and people just went crazy over it."

Another real hit has been the range of semi-permanent hair dyes Cox stocks that come in very bright colours.

"I have the hair dye colour chart in the window and I have a lot of people study it then come in and buy a dye."

But the store has a much wider range of products than bath and beauty products.

Cox stocks a range of imported jewellery made by Alchemy England.

"This is a mid-range jewellery that has some very unique pieces."

Carolyn says all her products are vegan-friendly and cruelty-free and says that is a big attraction for many people.

"Customers say they like the fact they can buy unique gifts here in town and don't have to go to Palmerston North. And they also like the fact they are natural products.

"A lot of people assume Mystic Mermaid is a pop-up store but they are really happy when I tell them I am here for good."

Cox has already taken on a staff member who works three mornings a week so that Cox can make more products to stock her shelves.

"People say to me that I must be the only person who has opened a new shop and employed staff during the lockdown."

Cox has a positive outlook on the future.

"You've got to try and move forward and not live in fear as to what might happen."