Timaru’s Young Entrepreneurs
A quiet revolution has been occurring in the South Canterbury town of Timaru. Despite Covid and the challenges of running a business, young entrepreneurs are moving into town and setting up shop.
Curious to know more about these ‘revolutionaries’ and why they have chosen the seaside town of Timaru, I recently sat down with some of them over a drink at Saikou Restaurant. Sharing that drink are: Renee Rowland of Timaru Booksellers (and The Twizel Bookshop ) who feeds the souls of bibliophiles with her carefully curated selection of books; Luana Dominey of You’re The Bomb , who has braved the move from the production of her crafted bath bombs and beauty products from her kitchen table to her store; Millie Rose of Millie Rose Boutique who’s busy making a name for herself not only with her delectable cupcakes but for the chic fashion her store stocks; industrial designer Gus Leen of Form 53 Gus Leen Design who’s in the process of opening a showroom for his elegant and stylish lamps and furniture range; and newest kids on the block, Jacob Stonehouse and Ola Latu of Saikou , an Asian fusion restaurant, who are bringing Christchurch vibes and young blood into the Timaru restaurant trade.
Although most don’t know each other, I am struck by how quickly the group build rapport and their energy that manifests itself in laughter and moments of instantaneous recognition when experiences intersect. Apart from Renee, all have grown up in Timaru so one could argue there is no surprise they have developed businesses in their hometown. Yet most have moved away, trained, and made a conscious choice to come back and settle in Timaru. They are united in their view Timaru is a great town to establish a business; rents are comparatively cheap, in some cases landlords have even offered cheaper rent to help establish them; and being a provincial town, the general cost of living is lower. The group talk of the town’s vibrancy with regular events down at Timaru’s iconic Caroline Bay that draw in crowds. There is also a sense of the potential for Timaru to become a shopping destination with its increasing number of boutique-style stores. The size of the town and its wider district is perceived as being just right – big enough to have real potential yet small enough that it is easy to find the right people to assist when necessary.
Threads of conversation reveal steep learning curves, a constant state of exhaustion, and the rapidity to which they have learned to pivot as they have grappled with the demands of running a business. Covid has only added to the complexity. There is some talk of dealing with the surprise and condescension that people express when they discover a young person owns the business. These challenges act only as a spur rather than a deterrent. They are confident in the benefits they bring to Timaru, whether it is through the products they sell, the employment they bring or the intangible benefits of increasing diversity and vitality which enriches the community. They are aspirational as well. As Renee enthuses, it’s not about their businesses being just ‘okay for Timaru – NO! Let’s make it okay for London!’
At a time of significant challenge throughout the country and the world, it is refreshing to encounter young people with oodles of vision and belief in a town and themselves who are willing to stake everything they have on it.
