But Highness owner Sarah Williams, of Green Island, has reversed that trend by opening a boutique store long after she launched her website.
She and her partner Chris Noye first registered their domain name in 2013. Miss Williams was looking for stretched ear jewellery and could not find anything she liked in New Zealand.
So she created a website offering a selection of jewellery.
‘‘I’m a bit of a geek, just a creative jack of all trades, master of none.’’
At first she did not expect much of a response, but gradually began getting orders for her selection of stretched ear, plug and tunnel piercing jewellery.
In 2018 Miss Williams and Mr Noye decided to quit their jobs and take about a year off work.
‘‘We were sick of sacrificing our happiness to make rich people richer,’’ Miss Williams said.
Enthusiastic home brewers, they started their own brewery called Noisy Brewing Co.
As the brewing business began to take off, Miss Williams’ jewellery website also started to become more popular.
‘‘So life just got really out of control, and it just grew and kept on growing.’’
Miss Williams started operating the online jewellery business from their brewery but as the business expanded she decided to find a space where she could create jewellery as well as sell it.
She had no intention of opening a shop, but as someone who ‘‘grew up being a little girl that played shops’’, having a shop window of her own was an enjoyable experience.
Having a ‘‘bricks and mortar’’ store was an opportunity to make connections with her ‘‘cool and interesting’’ customers.
‘‘Our whole thing is to celebrate individuality, and just being yourself.’’
Even with a pause during the Covid-19 lockdown , the business was already so busy she was looking to hire another person to help with online orders.
Green Island was becoming more of a destination, Miss Williams said.
She was raised in a house not far from her store on Main South Rd and was passionate about Green Island.
‘‘I love it, I want it to blossom and be beautiful and amazing.’’
