Little Beehive Co-op – Unique and Local
From humble beginnings, Little Beehive Co-Op was founded in 2014 by two Nelson creatives, Paula Ossevoort & Rachael Brown. Both were looking to connect & collaborate with other artists and have a place to showcase their work. There’s been an exciting journey since the first shop opened on 123 Hardy Street.
That was 6 years ago! The journey continues in their new location, which is now at 123 Bridge Street. They have been here for 2 years now, and it’s going great! The new space has loads of personality and lends itself perfectly for inspired browsing. The giant timber beams you see when you walk inside come from an old Bridge that was in Hokitika, adding to the rustic feel.
The original concept of Little Beehive was based around shared workspaces, with a very small retail area while resident artists took turns running the shop. There are currently 13 members who share shop responsibilities & overheads. In return, the members keep 100% of their profits.
So every time you make a purchase from a member, an actual person does a little happy dance.
Paula says, “There’s currently a trend where locals are wanting to support locally made products. To buy a gift for your loved one or home that has been locally handcrafted evokes quite a special feeling – as opposed to a mass-produced item (it’s just not the same)The slower-paced lifestyle here is well suited to the arts and creatives produce clever and top quality work which we proudly showcase.”
Paula grew up in Tauranga and discovered sunny Nelson 18 years ago after she came down for a fruit picking season and happily calls it home. She has previously studied as a chef and did a stint as a baker at Awaroa Lodge. Her passion for making clothing started back when she was just 16 years old, where she naturally started selling her clothing creations, and it built from there. Her creations are on display at the shop.
Collaboration is key to making things happen. Connections built from the Little Beehive network have resulted in Paula being one of the organisers for the popular Great Christmas Market for the past 9 years. It’s on at Founders Park Sunday, November 29 10am – 4pm. There are over 90 stalls, live music, food trucks and more. Bring the kids!
Visit their website. You can browse and order products online. www.littlebeehive.shop
Shop hours:
Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday – 9:30am – 2:30pm
Sunday closed
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