The empty premises of Shotover Markets, which closed down
for good last month. Photo by Olivia Caldwell.
The location of Shotover Markets, which closed just over
a year after opening, ultimately led to the venture's failure,
one of the business partners involved says.
Hoping, in July 2011, to create an all-year-round indoor
market, Queenstown's David Thomson and Dunedin's Paul Clark
opened the market in Shotover St in central Queenstown to
host up to 20 stall-holders.
However, in August this year the majority of the market
closed, leaving just one business, Greek food outlet
Souvalucky, still operating in the premises before it moved
out last month.
Mr Thomson said he was disappointed the initiative failed,
but the Shotover St location was too far from Queenstown's
foot traffic.
''People don't tend to walk past that roundabout and the
sunshine was on the left-hand side of the road. These are all
things you learn.''
Mr Thomson and Mr Clark are both expat Kiwis who moved to
Queenstown last year after spending time in England and
Germany, respectively. The entrepreneurs had previously set
up business in Sydney before coming back to Otago, where they
are from.
Mr Thomson is now working as a chef at Queenstown diner
Cranky Franky's while Mr Clark has moved back to Dunedin.
The biggest battle for Shotover Markets was keeping up with
the $16,000 rent a month.
Queenstown businessmen Ian and Russell Hamilton own the
building where the markets were held.
Mr Clark and Mr Thomson intended nurturing other small
businesses in the town's CBD as stall leases started at $200
per week.
''They couldn't afford it. We paid our debts, but they
didn't,'' Mr Thomson said.
Businesses in the markets included a small butchery, a coffee
shop, a bakery and the Souvalucky store.
Mr Thomson said he would consider re-entering the Queenstown
business scene and was not too disheartened over the business
failing.
Last week, an electricity bill for more than $5000 was
plastered to the outside of the building, but Mr Thomson said
he and Mr Clark had paid all their debts.
Souvalucky's part-owner Pauline Te Maiharoa said her business
had no debt to the landlords or power company and was
surprised there was so much outstanding.
She said Mr Thomson and Mr Clark were a pleasure to deal with
and she was disappointed the markets did not do well.
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