Te Horo based cafe closing but quirky new venture on the horizon

Rhienna Bevan, left, Amanda Corrigan, Jackie Wood and Grace Vermy. Photo / David Haxton

There's one item which will be centre stage when Jackie Wood and her dedicated team open their new takeaway coffee and food bar in Paraparaumu Beach.

It's the humble yet appetite pleasing cheese gem.

The cheese gems have legendary status at Café Te Horo which Jackie has spearheaded for many years.

Unfortunately the popular Te Horo based café closes its doors on Monday but excitement is building about their new venture in Paraparaumu Beach where the tasty cheese gems will reappear.

Jackie has been involved in the café scene for a long time after working in the media industry.

Her gravitation to the food scene wasn't unexpected, especially as her parents, Peter and Denise Summers, had a café in Coastlands, called Café Summers.

To be certain the café scene was for her, Jackie worked in an Ōtaki café for six months, where she loved the customer interaction and helping make food that kept people coming back for more.

With her food passion secure, Jackie had an eye on a café in Te Horo which was part of the Hyde Park group of shops and museum.

Café Te Horo. Photo / David Haxton

Before she took over the café in 2008 with husband Roger, Jackie spent time creating soups and slices for workplaces in Te Horo to see if people liked the taste of her food. They certainly did.

Café Te Horo, now under the couple's stewardship, quickly gained a following for its service and food including her cheese gems which "were a winner".

The café has been successful over the years and took another step forward when daughter Amanda joined the team five years ago.

Amanda discovered she had a passion for the industry too and working with her mother had "grown our relationship even closer".

"She's the best business partner I could have asked for and we've never had an issue which is great."

The café has also benefited from some culinary icon backing, especially when Ruth Pretty wrote about the café in a newspaper liftout and highlighted the cheese gems.

"It put us on the map even more," Amanda said.

Annabelle White highlighted the café, and what made it work, in a write-up for an Edmonds family cookbook publication.

Strong customer support continued over the years, including recent times as the café weathered nearby expressway construction works as well as Covid-19 times.

"What I think has made us successful has been the service, which is absolutely everything, and good coffee and good food," Jackie said.

Moreover the café became an important hub in Te Horo for people to meet.

But recent lease difficulties led to the search for a new place to operate something different.

Customers' fondness for Café Te Horo café was evident when they made an announcement on social media about closing the doors.

Jackie said there had been an empty feeling about the closure and customers were affected too.

"People have come in and said they're paying their last respects."

They tried hard to find a new location in Te Horo but nothing eventuated.

But as one door closes, another opens.

Amanda said they had found "an awesome location" in Paraparaumu Beach and hope to have their new takeaway coffee and food bar open mid-October.

The exact location is under wraps for the time being as they finalise plans.

"We're super excited about this new venture."

What this space. And watch out for those cheese gems.