Para Rubber – keeping kiwi DIY alive!

December 21, 2021
UniquelyNelson
Sales
0 Comments

In its simplest form the word Para means ‘beyond’. Para Rubber is a nationwide franchise with 7 stores dotted around the country. It is something of a kiwi icon. We’ve all heard of a Para Pool… it’s kiwi as!

When Alicia and Kiley decided to buy the Nelson business something magical happened.
A powerful combination of product knowledge and engineering skills has helped thousands of locals with their DIY jobs. Rubber, foam, Swimming pools and accessories are just the beginning of what they have on offer.

The variety of customer needs can range from a rubber tip for a walking stick, to cutting out foam for a camper van bunk, fuel resistant hose for a microlight aeroplane engine, cutting tread grip for a ute deck, to building a foam wedge for a car seat… get the idea? The products you can find at Para Rubber can solve millions of problems.

The good thing about shopping at Para Rubber is they are locally owned and operated. Know that you are helping support local and New Zealand made products. You are always greeted with an enthusiastic smile and the staff know their stuff.

Sam is great with the crafty side of projects like helping people choose the best foam for giving a favourite chair a new life. Bryce is a qualified and experienced Boatbuilder, who can cut foam to any shape and can suggest smart ways to tackle any DIY project.

Kiley is a qualified and experienced engineer, who understands blending materials, cutting with 100% accuracy and has great local knowledge of places to recommend if they don’t have the best product for the job.

Alicia has extensive experience with all the products including the swimming pools. Things like what type of filter you need, how the PH, Alkalinity and Water hardness levels work together to keep your pool safe and healthy for its occupants. She manages the stock and even has most of the product codes memorised which shows the kind of person she is. Passionate and dedicated to running a tidy ship.

Kiley and Alicia were born and raised in Te Awamutu but met in Nelson. Alicia moved here to complete an Adventure Recreation course run by our local world champion athlete Nathan Faave. Kiley was working as an engineer at a Stainless steel fabricating workshop. A mutual friend introduced them and now they have a teenage son called Brock and a dog called Kona.

The shop is bright yellow and is located on Haven Road, just past the BP petrol station. It’s got thousands of products all neatly laid out, yet it is compact enough so you won’t get lost in the aisles.

“It’s amazing how many people drive past and mention they were thinking about getting a new doormat for the caravan. Or some EVA foam to help quieten down the generator at the batch..”

It’s these kinds of jobs where Para Rubber stands out from the rest of the local hardware stores. You have the same staff every time, helpful advice that comes from a place of genuine passion for DIY (Do It Yourself) mentality. It’s part of being a New Zealander. You shouldn’t just buy a new one, try fixing it – and who knows, you may even improve it! It runs in our blood and is something we should be proud of.

They offer free pool testing, so when you are noticing the pool is looking green, in 5 minutes they can test your pool water, and print out a list of suggestions to get it back on track. They have all the parts, accessories, fun inflatable toys, pool chemicals, vacuum equipment all under the same roof.

Red-band gumboots are also legendary in their own right, and they have a great range in stock. The NZ jandal is another quality item they have on their shelves.

“We have people coming in saying they have been wearing their Jandals for 10 years. It’s neat to hear these kinds of stories, as we know the quality of these products outlives the alternatives ten times over. It’s a form of recycling, making things last the distance. It’s something we believe in and want to keep alive in our local community” says Alisha.

The Para Pool is the kiwi idea of bringing the beach to your backyard. Priced for everyday kiwis, they offer the best value. Visit the shop and check out what they have on offer, you will be impressed and will get inspired to DIY.