Good summer holiday trading welcomed by Whangārei businesses

Lily Grau, owner of Quail Cafe in Whangārei Quarry Gardens, says this summer has been her best yet. Photo / Denise Piper

Steady summer holiday trading is being welcomed by central Whangārei businesses, with one cafe owner calling it her best summer yet.

But the sunshine is marred by clouds from the closure of State Highway 1 at Brynderwyn Hills from February 26, which all businesses say will undoubtedly have an impact.

Quail Cafe, situated in Whangārei Quarry Gardens, closed for nine days after Christmas but has been busy either side of that closure, said Lily Grau, who has owned the cafe since 2020.

“We’ve had the busiest summer since I’ve owned the business so it’s very, very positive.”

As well as being impacted by Covid lockdowns, the cafe also had to close for a few weeks in early 2023 due to a slip caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

“We’ve been navigating the last three-and-a-half years so this summer has been a very refreshing one. We’re now focusing on growing the business and going forward.”

Grau said new offerings included beer and wine thanks to a recently granted liquor licence, plus a new cover for outdoor seating.

She believed the growth in customers was due to residents offering their support, word of mouth about the cafe, and an influx of visitors and international tourists to Whangārei.

The return of international tourists has also been welcomed in Burning Issues Gallery in the Town Basin, owner Kathryn Beros said.

Given the recession, trading before Christmas was “not too bad” and it has been up and down since then.

Beros said the gallery had seen lots of tourists from the US, Australia and some from the UK, as well as Auckland visitors.

Unfortunately for the gallery, shipping costs have skyrocketed since Covid, which means international customers face paying hundreds of dollars if they want art sent home.

Whangārei's Town Basin is busy with people while some central Whangārei shops were too busy to talk. Photo / Denise Piper

Beros is also worried about the impact of the Brynderwyn closure, which will cut off a key market of Aucklanders. Trading ground to a halt last year when the highway was closed, she said.

“December through to Easter is our big trading period, it’s where we’re getting enough funds to survive through winter.

“It’s a bit of a worry but at least it will be open over Easter.”

Despite the worries, Beros felt Burning Issues was lucky with its position in the Town Basin overlooking the water, with many people visiting the Hundertwasser Art Centre then wandering through.

“We’ve got a big stable of artists... People come in here and hopefully they fall in love with something that’s a must-have.”

Some businesses in central Whangārei were so busy when the Northern Advocate visited on Friday that owners or managers were unable to stop to talk.

North Chamber president Tim Robinson said his own store, Bernina Northland in Whangārei’s Strand Arcade, had steady trading over the past two weeks, in a time the doors would normally stay shut.

The store has seen a boom since Covid inspired people to get into crafting, and also offers courses, sewing machine repairs and long-arm quilting, making it a bit different to standard retail shops.

Other retailers have been telling Robinson it is very, very quiet, with some reporting 2023 was 20 to 30 per cent down on 2022, he said.

“It’s frighting and from the Chamber’s point-of-view, we’re still cautious about what lies ahead.

“We understand the Brynderwyn closure has to happen but we’re very nervous about the impact. The holiday market, at this time of year, it’s really, really important - that’s what people forget.”

Robinson advised struggling retailers to be smart about how they operate and to try new things. Bernina Northland has tried things such as attending the Matapouri Gala and using Google ads to increase their customer base outside Northland, he said.

For The Bach art co-operative in the Town Basin, a lack of car parks and layout changes have seen sales drop, with December sales down 20 per cent on 2022.

Acting chair Heather Carthew said the cost-of-living crisis also had an impact in December, with local businesses spending less on Christmas gifts.

“It wasn’t a great December,” she said.

Since Christmas, the store has been busy but “not as busy as we would like”, Carthew said.

The closure of the Brynderwyns was also a worry for The Bach, with Aucklanders making up about 40 per cent of business, she said.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.