All you need is love - and chocolate

Wanaka businesswomen Cathie Davis and Pip Freeman exude a confidence born from a passion for chocolate, paper and things French.

• Riding out the recession

Two weeks ago, they opened their vintage design store and chocolaterie, Little Brown House, and 80 people attended the opening function.

In these recession-fixated times, there is almost something startling about opening a shop when it seems all business advisers can do is talk about "exit strategies" and the "squeeze on spending".

But Mrs Davis believes there's nothing startling about it at all.

"I passionately believe in my job. And you might as well do something that aids and abets that heart stuff," she said.

Her new business venture was launched partly because of what existing customers of her internet shopping business, Jumping Tangents, were telling her and partly because of her strong intuitive drive that people needed a calm and beautiful oasis to escape a busy world.

"It appears with these people, if I am interpreting them right, that it is touching a spot that is not always touched on in today's rushed old world," Mrs Davis said.

"I did deliberate for a long time whether to do it in Wanaka or Queenstown. Demographically, the tourist numbers in Queenstown are much stronger. But then I thought, no, Wanaka is ready for this. People are not always bungy-jumping. They want to play with wax seals and things like that, too."

Little Brown House, like Jumping Tangents, sells designer gifts and fashion, as well as writing products from European paperies with centuries-old traditions.

It also sells hot chocolate and cup cakes, tins of sweets and stacks of Schoc chocolate products made in Greytown from imported gourmet chocolate beans.

Mrs Davis (47) is the shop's creative director and owns the business with her husband Tim. Mrs Freeman (41) is her right-hand woman.

Mrs Davis' two adult daughters Kimberley (23) and Claire (19), also help out.

The Davis family began Jumping Tangents from home two years ago.

When it came to choosing her stock, Mrs Davis, an artist, was inspired by her travels in Europe.

"The idea for Little Brown House came later. The first 18 months' focus was really strong on the website. It was a massive learning curve for us," Mrs Davis said.

Recently, the Davises took over a tiny, three bedroom house in Little St, near the top end of Ardmore St, and have done it up in the style of a French cottage.

The house has also become the base for Jumping Tangent and Mrs Davis's club of chocolate, writing, book and art enthusiasts.

"It was a permanent home for quite a chain of Wanaka people. We had quite a few of them calling in . . . I heard a lot about the parties they've had here. I don't think we will be doing anything different in that regard," Mrs Davis said.