A little laneway brings a European vibe to downtown Wānaka
Alice Herald describes The Precinct in Wānaka best when the jewellery designer says that she chose to open her studio here because she wanted to be somewhere that people could discover. “I like that there is an element of discovery - that feeling you get when you are wandering the cobbled alleyways in France. So many enormous brands, such as Chanel, started in the back streets of Paris in tiny ateliers, which some of them still have, and I think that is really special.
The Precinct development has given Alice that hidden, boutiquey space she envisaged for her one-of-a-kind fine jewellery pieces and discerning clientele. It has also highlighted that Wānaka has become a serious shopping destination, drawing people from the Queenstown Lakes and wider Otago and Southland regions for retail therapy without the cost of a plane ticket. And those further afield are quickly catching on – Wānaka is a place where you can mix the pleasure of boutique shopping with outdoor adventure activities.
When the Norman family developed the site which once housed the old police station, they wanted to create something that appealed to people looking for a more unique shopping experience away from the tourist sector on the lake front. Something that connected people who come to Wānaka for reasons other than the great outdoors. Precinct Manager Melanie Norman says that her family aren’t really into hiking, biking and skiing so in a way they have created something to suit their needs and they’ve hit the right note.
The Normans thoughtfully ensured that the space also resonated with the past - to what used to be there, and The Precinct name is as much a nod to the police station as it is to it being a shopping area. Some may dislike the building’s industrial concrete and brick aesthetic with small windows running down the back façade, saying it looks like a prison, but that is exactly what they set out to do. It’s where the concept came from.
The family have hand-picked The Precinct’s tenants to ensure uniqueness, and each has brought their own flair to complement the neutral, understated common areas. Ukiyo salon, which has very quickly become the place to get your hair done, is green and lush with plants.
Revology has an industrial feel that references the development side of the business – they are makers of the award-winning chair made with all-natural materials and there is a bike with the same principles on the way; and the store’s sustainable ethos carries through the fixtures and fittings through use of old scaffolding, recycled or locally-sourced wood and non-toxic paint. It sets an example of how you can create beautiful spaces without buying new. The Revology Concept Store is filled to brimming with products that owners Monique Kelly and Alex Guichard have curated using a circular economy/ethically made/useful and beautiful matrix. Homewares, sneakers, textiles, apothecary, vintage furniture, toys, teas … these guys are making it easy to live beautifully and help save our planet.
Across the lane it’s all bright white and highly fashionable at Deval Boutique. Owner Debbie Lawson closed her much-loved Christchurch store for a move to Wānaka, and The Precinct offered her a too-good-not-to location to open a new store. Debbie says it has been a great move for them as besides still servicing a regular Christchurch clientele, they have attracted a lot of locals from around the Southern Lakes and Central Otago region. Auckland visitors have also become regulars. Debbie loves doing business in Wānaka and is “grateful for the lifestyle change that living in such a paradise brings”. Deval is a relaxed shopping environment with a team of stylists at the ready to walk shoppers through the carefully selected range of clothing and footwear and assist with styling advice, offering a coffee or glass of bubbles to complete the experience.
There’s more lush at the Plant Collective where Rachel Benton has moved the indoor plant side of The Green Room Flower Company into a space of their own. Leaving the floristry side out at the Gordon Road store has meant Rachel can fill The Plant Collective with a jungle of indoor plants and everything you need for them, including plant doctor diagnosis, repotting services and workshops. It’s a handy location to pop in to for last-minute gifts and flowers.
As a way of nurturing small businesses such as The Plant Collective, The Precinct are making landlord contributions that give businesses the opportunity to see if this kind of retail store works for them without the added stress of a long-term lease. Cakes of Wānaka are beneficiaries, as are their customers with such easy access to an irresistible array of cakes and sweet treats.
By turning a hole in the wall space into a high-end jewellery atelier, Alice Herald seriously impresses with her exquisitely presented 10.6 square meters that works as design studio and a space that she can invite clients into. Even though much of Alice’s business is by appointment, her tiny window display draws people in, and she says there’s something rather lovely about that, “you kind of feel that the people who do come through the door are meant to be here.”
Bringing refreshment to The Precinct experience is Wee Tart, the coffee shop and milk bar whose fried chicken, poke bowls and milkshakes are building quite the following. A liquor license makes it possible to enjoy a glass of wine or beer in the courtyard or on the roof deck, where specialised events will also be held. A food hall with a set of kiosks managed by Wānaka chef/restaurateur James Stapley is due to open in Spring 2020.
.