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Mega malls and posh department stores have their place, but some of the best treasures can be found in little shops dotted along the main streets of New Zealand’s small towns.
Whether you’re on the hunt for vintage crockery, a cuckoo clock, or even a hand-built bicycle, there is a shop to suit your needs. It might just take a bit of a road trip to reach it.
Here are some of our favourite small town shopping gems. Let us know what shops we should add to the list in the comments.
Blackwell & Sons
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Blackwell & Sons will have you dreaming of old-fashioned bike rides along country roads.
Where: Greytown, Wairarapa
Greytown’s pretty main street has many shops worthy of a poke around, but put this beautiful bicycle shop at the top of your list. Regardless of whether you’re in the market for a set of new wheels, you’ll fall in love with Blackwell & Sons’ traditional hand-built bicycles and whimsical range of accessories, which include picnic baskets and bicycle wine racks (perfect for a jaunt to nearby Martinborough).
Bonus shopping tip: Just across the road you’ll find Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop, which is equally inviting with its diverse range of reads and literary-themed gifts, with a log burner keeping the store toasty.
Mr Feather’s Den
Monique Ford/Stuff
Come for a book, go home with a taxidermy mouse at Mr Feather’s Den.
Where: Featherston, Wairarapa
Featherston is a book hoarder’s dream, boasting more secondhand bookshops per capita than anywhere else in the country. One particularly quirky offering is Mr Feather’s Den, which as well as books, is crammed with what they describe as “oddities and delights” – including some rather creative taxidermy pieces. It’s one of those places that has nothing you particularly need, but everything you really want.
The Bank
VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
Mark Bellringer and Barbara Valintine own The Bank in Eltham, which doubles as their home.
Where: Eltham, Taranaki
The small Taranaki town of Eltham, about 40 minutes south of New Plymouth, is filled with vintage and second-hand clothing shops and galleries – so you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to look around. If you’re looking for something interesting for your house that will have all your visitors asking, “where did you get that?”, The Bank (housed in a former bank) is your best bet, with its eclectic selection of homewares, fashion and furniture.
The Clock Shoppe
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Take home a new timepiece from The Clock Shoppe, or get a beloved old-timer repaired.
Where: Tīrau, Waikato
If you’re a fan of all things that go tick-tock, this shop is worth making time for. The Clock Shoppe on the main road of Tīrau has a wide range of timepieces for sale, from alarm clocks and cute cuckoos to grandfather clocks. As well as selling clocks, they also have a clock repair workshop run by Robert Russell, who trained as a watchmaker and clock repairer in Switzerland.
The Viking’s Haul
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The Viking’s Haul owner Evan Nattrass has plenty of swag.
Where: Woodville, Tararua
The Viking’s Haul proves pirates weren’t the only ones who were good at finding treasure. Run by Woodville’s resident Viking, this sprawling second-hand shop stocks an epic range of collectables, from books and records to beer cans and crockery (including the coveted New Zealand Crown Lynn).
Grainstore Gallery
Something is sure to catch your eye at Grainstore Gallery.
Where: Ōamaru, Waitaki
In Ōamaru’s atmospheric Victorian Precinct, ascend a staircase in a 19th century storehouse, and you’ll find yourself in one of the most eye-popping places you’ll ever experience. Grainstore Gallery is the emporium of artist Donna Demente, who specialises in masks and close-up portraits, which stare out hauntingly from the walls. As well as Demente’s works, there are pieces from other local artists, as well as antiques, taxidermy and other trinkets – some for sale, some just for admiring – and the space often plays host to live music.
The Curiosity Shoppe
This unassuming shed is full of treasures.
Where: Ranfurly, Central Otago
The tiny Māniatoto town of Ranfurly is New Zealand’s second-most famous art deco destination, so it makes sense that there would be some vintage goodies up for grabs here. You’ll find them at The Curiosity Shoppe, a former railway engine shed that is brimming with antiques and collectables –including a truly incredible range of crockery.
Hokitika Glass Studio
Who wouldn’t want one of these cute blue penguins?
Where: Hokitika, West Coast
Hokitika is a hotbed of creativity, with several crafty shops and galleries to peruse. For a particularly unique gift, head to the Hokitika Glass Studio. Here you’ll find beautiful handcrafted glassware, from rainbow-coloured perfume bottles to penguin families. Best of all, you can watch the glassblowers in action at the on-site workshop.
What are your favourite small-town shops in New Zealand? Let us know in the comments or email us at travel@stuff.co.nz
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