What would inspire two archaeologists to establish a designer boutique in a historic part of Dunedin? Reporter Ellie Constantine spoke to the unlikely pair and found a determination to reset not only retail, but business thinking.
Fed up with trying to find New Zealand-designed items, Sheryl McPherson and Dr Hayden Cawte solved the problem by opening their own boutique: Salisbury Boutique.
Ms McPherson says the venture came about because of a combination of things - Dr Cawte owned the vacant historic building in Bond St, they coveted locally made goods but found it hard to find original items without huge price tags, and both wanted to provide a different shopping experience.
"We both work full-time so we either go shopping on our lunch break, or at the weekend, so we decided to open in the evening so people could come to the shop and not feel stressed.
"It's a really soothing experience, which is what shopping should be," she says.
The store opens 4pm to 8pm on Thursday and Friday, and 11am to 8pm on Saturday.
"It's broken down the concept where you shop on George St and you just shop 9 to 5."
The restricted hours also ensured the business had a better chance of working in with their other jobs, Dr Cawte says.
Miss McPherson is an archaeologist with her own consultancy business, and he works as a machinery exporter and in archaeology at the University of Otago.
"I spend a lot of time looking at animal bones the size of a pinhead, so I love doing this and talking to people," she says.
About 50 designers from around the country, specialising in everything from clothing and jewellery to stationery, soaps and tea, are represented in the store, which first opened in April.
"We have not restricted ourselves. I like to get people who are not widely distributed and give them a push.
"You can get some really awesome stuff from New Zealand designers, and it's unique and it does not cost the world.
"I'd like to see people, when they are thinking about buying stuff, think New Zealand," Miss McPherson says.
It is important for them to meet their designers so they can provide a story, and a sense of connection for customers, she says.
"People don't have that disposable income these days, so they want to know when they buy an item it means something.
They are supporting our economy and feel that connection with the designer." A "little design hub" is also growing in the building, with studio space let to fashion designers, a marketing company, photographer and jeweller.
"We love Dunedin and we want to encourage people to stay and create a business here," she says.
The couple wanted a place where creative people could be surrounded by their peers, share their passions and learn from each other.
"Everyone wins when we work together," she says.
The building, established in 1901, has had many lives before its most recent, including as a printery for the Evening Star, an auction house and a clothing factory.
The couple are more than happy to boast this rich history.
The building's original safe has been transformed into a changing room, old receipts from early trading are framed for all to see, and they cannot wait to tell people about the World War 2 bunker in the basement.
"We love this area of town so we wanted to use the space to show how you can use an historic building ... we want to bring more people into this part of town," Miss McPherson says.
Dr Cawte believes the area lends itself well to establishing businesses because "rents are cheap and there are plenty of like-minded people".
"I'd definitely like to see more people choose this area as a destination and maybe adopt the same model we have," he says.
"Everyone has been so positive and really liked the concept," Ms McPherson says.
Most customers walk through the door because of word of mouth, including out-of-town visitors.
In the future, the pair hope to expand the business into other centres, but the focus at the moment is on finalising the boutique's website, due to launch in about a month.
Dr Cawte expects it to generate about 75% of sales, with expanded ranges of the designers stocked in-store.
However, his "greatest aspiration" is to stock more menswear.
Men and women visiting the boutique often request more original, New Zealand-made garments.
While it is hard to achieve because not many designers make men's clothing, the pair are determined to expand in that direction.
Visit it
• Salisbury Boutique, 104 Bond St, is open 4pm to 8pm Thursday and Friday, and 11am to 8pm Saturday.
Phone: (03) 477-3933 www.salisburyboutique.co.nz
