Neighbours shutting up shop
Nelson’s Hardy St will feel a little emptier at the end of March as two shops prepare to close their doors.
Whirled and Frock & Soul are neighbours but are separated by Marble Arch Arcade.
Whirled has sold clothes, jewellery and knick-knacks on Hardy St for about 22 years. Owner Judy Scurr said her frequent buying trips around Asia gave the store its name.
‘‘I was always whirling off and coming back. My bank manager came up with the name.’’
She said that in her quest to buy goods directly from small manufacturers, she had experienced illness, conflict and missed flights. She’d also made plenty of friends.
‘‘I’ve never done tourist things – I was always with the people. Even if I don’t buy anything, I can still go back and sit on the floor and drink tea with them.’’
After two decades of dealing with the public, there were a few things she would miss, she said.
‘‘The misfits – the people that no-one else will talk to. They come in here and I’ll say, ‘Hi’ and don’t treat them any differently.’’
With colder months on the horizon, she was also looking forward to a holiday.
Across the arcade at Frock and Soul, owner Jenni Richardson is also looking forward to skipping winter, which she said was a difficult time for year for a small Nelson business. ‘‘Nelson can be very quiet in winter, and life’s too short to have stress.’’
After almost four years in business and 13 years in Nelson, Richardson is heading back to Britain to spend more time with family.
She moved to New Zealand so her children could experience an ‘‘open environment’’ as they grew up. ‘‘It’s been a good experience, but you do get that pull home to family.’’
Frock and Soul’s final day is March 21, and Whirled will close on March 30.