The shops opening in Nelson CBD while others close

Vacancies may be mounting in parts of Nelson CBD as infrastructure works and economic pressures take their toll. But several shops have recently opened. We went to four.

Stu Free opened the Canterbury Pet Food Co store in Nelson’s Montgomery Square a month ago.

Business at the shop, which sold raw pet food, had exceeded his expectations so far, he said.

Takings were higher than at the company’s store in Christchurch during its first month in operation.

Business was usually slower when a shop first opened, Free said.

“It takes a while to build up … then you expect to have a couple of years of fairly sustained, rapid growth.

“I think it’s going to go really well.”

The company had fewer competitors in Nelson than it had in Christchurch.

Free said opening the Nelson store was prompted by high demand from the city for the pet food produced by the company, headquartered in Kaiapoi, north of Christchurch.

The Montgomery Square shop was a good size, visible to the public and had good access to parking, which customers needed as some of the company’s products were heavy, he said.

Store manager Elle Cole said the store was starting to get repeat customers, and visitors recommended by other shoppers.

Feedback about the shop from customers had been “outstanding”, she said.

“They love the decor, they love the product, their pet loves the products.

“We’ve had lots of comments from customers coming in who say their dog appears healthier, their coat’s shinier, it’s softer.”

Childrens’ clothing and games store, Grasshopper, opened on Hardy St in December.

Lori Godden started the business in Tākaka in 2008, operating a shop in the Golden Bay town, then launching an online store during Covid lockdown in 2020.

She moved to Nelson over three years ago and ran the business remotely. Godden decided it was time to open a store in the city when the premise, opposite Church St, became available.

The closure of a childrenswear shop in Nelson city opened up a gap for her range, with “old school” children’s games among those on offer, like Jack in the Box.

The shop’s location saw good movement of people on a Saturday due to the market, and Godden expected Nelson customers would get to know her, just like her Tākaka customers did.

Retail assistant Zoe Manson previously worked in the Tākaka shop.

While winter was a quiet time for shoppers in both centres, the word was getting out about the Nelson store, she said.

“More and more people are starting to realise that we’re here.”

“People are coming in [saying], ‘oh my friend told me about this place, and it’s great’.

“Lots of people are … saying that we’re kind of a one-stop shop. Which is nice to hear because we do have a big selection.”

Tech giant, PB Tech opened in Wakatu Square in March.

General manager Richard Elstob said the company had been considering Nelson as part of its South Island expansion for several years.

It was important to choose “a highly visible location” to attract new customers to add to the business’s large online customer base in the Nelson region.

“The response has been very encouraging. Early performance has been slightly ahead of our expectations,” Elstob said.

Positive feedback from customers gave the business confidence in the shop’s long-term potential in the region, with the CBD offering a good mix of established businesses, consistent food traffic, and a strong sense of community, he said.

Two years in, business is steady at Devon Bakery on Hardy St.

“People always need food”, co-owner Kanchana Dissanayake said.

She and husband Hiran Jayamanne opened the store in Nelson CBD in 2024 – an outlet for the food Jayamanne made at the bakery of the same name on Waimea Road, opposite Hampden Street School.

“If you make nice food, people will come,” said Dissanayake, in front of a cabinet full of tasty looking treats at the Hardy St store.

The business was making enough profit to manage outgoings like rent and staff wages, she said.

“My husband is nicely managing the business,” said Dissanayake, who ran the Hardy St outlet.

“We are working hard, but at the end of the day, we are happy.”

By Katy Jones, Nelson Mail

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