Love Your Local: Last year’s big winners on why local patrons mean so much to them

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Last year, Stuff’s Love Your Local campaignencouraged Kiwis to support their most-loved hospitality businesses by submitting them for inclusion in our nationwide database.

The seven-week campaign received more than 800 submissions, recommending more than 600 businesses.

Many of the smaller and more remote businesses noticed significant outcomes from the campaign, including an increase in customer traffic and brand awareness.

Two of those were Christchurch’s Purple Weka cafe and The Rusty Cup – possibly the most remote coffee cart in Aotearoa.

Here’s what the operators of each had to say about the campaign’s impact on their day-to-day.

Stu McDougall, Purple Weka

The Purple Weka has gone through tough times, including when owner Stu McDougall was forced to work out of a shipping container while the building was being repaired after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

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The Purple Weka has gone through tough times, including when owner Stu McDougall was forced to work out of a shipping container while the building was being repaired after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

Stu McDougall, owner of most-nominated eatery Purple Weka in Christchurch, was said to have “a welcoming smile and a laugh for everyone”.

Purple Weka was the single most nominated hospitality business, receiving 57 individual recommendations for our database.

The cafe and bar, located in central Christchurch, is described as “world-famous in Christchurch.”

McDougall told Stuff: “We seem to have a community of customers that come in all the time. They’ve all got to know each other over the years. We sort of treat this place like an extension of their lounge.

”We chat, we yak, we have a good time.”

So, what effect did last year’s campaign have on everyday life at Purple Weka?

McDougall was chuffed to have the Love Your Local stamp, saying his local community are steadfast, and keep coming back every day not only for the good coffee, but also for the good banter.

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McDougall was chuffed to have the Love Your Local stamp, saying his local community are steadfast, and keep coming back every day not only for the good coffee, but also for the good banter.

“They absolutely loved it, so many people came in and said well done and you deserve it.

“I’m not blowing my own pie, that’s what a lot of it was.”

McDougall was chuffed to have the Love Your Local stamp, saying his local community are steadfast, and keep coming back every day not only for the good coffee, but also for the good banter.

“We got a whole lot of new custom out of it- they keep on coming back and bring their friends.

“They like coming for a bit of friendly banter.

“You have to have a little bit of personality.”

Andrew Beaumont, The Rusty Cup

In 2022, Beaumont’s beloved coffee and sandwich truck, The Rusty Cup, was awarded as the most remote location.

Nestled 18km south of goldrush town Charleston in Buller, a cruisy 11km north of Punakaiki (population about 70), the truck sits in the car park at the entrance to Fox River and is, as a fan notes, “there every morning, rain, hail or snow” – very high praise, considering the location.

Andrew Beaumont owns Rusty Cup at the entrance to Fox River.

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Andrew Beaumont owns Rusty Cup at the entrance to Fox River.

Beaumont said the Love Your Local campaign had made a splash within his community, boosting turnout and new customers.

“Quite a lot of people saw the article and made comment about it, and they thought it was a very, very cool thing,” Beaumont told Stuff.

“More of that the better. I would’ve picked up some business because of it, because of people who said I wouldn’t have known this existed.”

Because the premises lie outside of network coverage, Beaumont runs his business entirely on an honesty payment system, which he says has about a 97% success rate.

“That includes people who turn up a few months later,” he exclaims. “I even have international visitors or ones who don’t have NZ bank accounts, who go physically into the bank and deposit the money.”

Beaumont said the local community is small but tight-knit, and that the Rusty Cup is a helpful focal point for local news.

“We are very small of course, but the important part for our community is I’m kind of like an information hub for locals and for tourists.”

Beaumont’s main clientele blends Kiwi tourists, international tourists ,and a few locals.

“They come in for a catch-up and a coffee and a yak.

“Everybody says, ‘It’s really bizarre that there’s a coffee cart here.’”

As far as desk views go, Beaumont said his office is unparalleled.

“I look at the absolutely stunning native bush. I’m parked next to a river. I just stand and watch the fish in the river, and the native first. It is stunning where I am. When you look at all the beautiful native trees. My office is quite lovely.”

Love your Local awards

Stuff is launching the inaugural Love Your Local Awards, presented by Pure South.

We want you to nominate your most-loved local people and places in the following categories: food truck or takeaway; roadside stall; barista; bartender or publican; front of house person or team; and new business.

Tell us who you love, and why, and they could be up for the title in your region.

Once nominations have closed we’ll ask you to vote for your favourite amongst the finalists, to determine regional winners from around the motu, as voted by you, the locals.

Then we’re going one further: all your regional winners will be up for the national title in each category, as determined by our judging panel made up of top New Zealand chef and unofficial food ambassador Peter Gordon, Eat New Zealand CEO and owner of permaculture property The Food Farm Angela Clifford, and Stuff food editor Emily Brookes.

Head to stuff.co.nz/loveyourlocal to get involved.

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