Market changing things up, shifting venue

Rex Brumby applies finishing touches to the Neux Bar & Kitchen at Port Molyneux School in Kaka...
Rex Brumby applies finishing touches to the Neux Bar & Kitchen at Port Molyneux School in Kaka Point, while owner Jade McNab enjoys a cafe beverage, in preparation for the venue hosting the town’s annual Community Market on Sunday. PHOTO: RICHARD DAVISON
Visitors to the annual Kaka Point Community Market on Sunday are unlikely to leave hungry.

A new organising committee says it has "changed up the feel" of the market, including a fresh range of stallholders and a greater emphasis on food and quality crafts.

In addition, the market has moved to the northern edge of the seaside township, and will be hosted by the Port Molyneux School event venue and its new cafe, Neux Bar and Kitchen.

Port Molyneux owner Jade McNab said the market would double as a soft opening for the cafe, to which local painter Rex Brumby was adding the finishing decorative touches this week.

"We’re only hosting the market, with Karen Broad actually running it, and she’s done an amazing job of pulling in some really nice stalls and food vendors," Mrs McNab said.

"On top of that, people will be able to get platters and a glass of wine from Neux which, hopefully, they can enjoy in the sunshine outside if the rain stops by then."

About 50 stalls — including crafts, plants, clothing, food, craft beer and wine — would be located both inside the venue’s original schoolhouse and outside to a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, she said.

Entertainment for market-goers would come in the form of live music, pony rides and face-painting for children.

Mrs McNab said 2020 had been a challenging year for her business which, for the most part, hosted weddings.

Many of these had been postponed due to Covid-19 worries, forcing her to "think sideways" and diversify, she said.

"We needed to think of an extra income stream, and visitors had always said we should have a cafe here with the awesome views, so we said, ‘How hard can it be?’

"Turns out there’s a bit more to it than you might at first think, but it’s kind of exciting now we’re into it and nearly there.

"We hope people love it as much as we do."

The market runs from 10am to 3pm.

richard.davison@odt.co.nz

Add a Comment