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From a very young age I loved retail, loved making things or buying stock to sell. I always read the newspaper from back to front so I could read the classified columns first, yes looking for a bargain or opportunity. Weird I know! 

And this is why in the early 90's I created and opened my first retail store 'Rustic Charm' in the old Power Board building in Empire Street Cambridge, themed inside and out to resemble a wool shed, right down to a full size mural of a farmer, his horse, dog and big fat sheep pounding up the ramp into the front door, full size sheep for a street sign, straw bales for shelving, gates for display and a local girl shearing sheep on our opening day! Everyday was an exciting day. In only five months it was a hit with everyone from young to old alike that I was presented with an offer to sell. After much deliberation and then an offer I couldn't refuse, I did just that, sold. But I must admit, I shed a tear or two the night we did a stock take and handed the business over.

With the profit I headed to Indonesia to source the very old Dutch colonial furniture I'd heard so much about, and WOW, once I found it I was like a child in a candy store. Bought enough to fill a 40' container and then was presented with the task of finding a store large enough back home to sell it from. How lucky was I, Steen & Morrow were moving out of their 2000 square foot store in Commerce Street Cambridge, and I moved in with 'Virtus,' right next door to Gordons Antiques (all now the modern TAB). What a lot of fun Gordon and I had, what with my Australian King Parrot Toby and Gordy's Bulldog Sally, customers flocked to see this amazing furniture that no-one else in New Zealand at the time was selling. I had always loved and collected English antiques, but the Dutch colonial pieces made from solid teak were quite extraordinary and enchantingly rustic.

So if you're looking to further promote your business or products, or want to chat about business startup give me a call, I just might be able to help in some way.

LYNDA LEE
news@towncryer.nz
021 309 216