First Birthday

When Hadleigh Reid, owner of Ridgway Chambers, said he would take me on as a tenant at 29 Ridgway Street, I had to think about what was important to me and my vision for Brown & Co. In a nutshell, I wanted to create a space that celebrates contemporary craftmanship, where visitors can select artworks from some of New Zealand’s most exceptional designers and that becomes a destination store within Whanganui’s stunning art and culture scene.

It didn’t take me long to see that once restored, this grand old building (the oldest in Whanganui’s CBD) dressed in unique and stylish artworks and glittery lighting, would hold court on the corner of Whanganui’s ‘Old Town’ precinct, drawing in the curious and fulfilling my vision perfectly.

20 months later, here we are celebrating Brown & Co’s first year in business (my timing wasn’t quite on point - Brown & Co was open for just two days before the nationwide Alert Level 4 lockdown occurred!).

Featuring blown glass, lighting, furniture, sculpture, printmaking, painting, jewellery and glass engraving, the store works as a platform to showcase multiple mediums and it has been my personal joy to help people select a statement piece for themselves or someone special.

We are open this weekend and next, as part of Whanganui’s Artists Open Studios and we will be celebrating our birthday on both weekends-why not!

I’ll be giving away a $500 Katie Brown Glass voucher and everyone who shops at Brown & Co this week* will be in the draw to win it. I currently have artworks from 32 artists including my own in-store for you choose from.

I look forward to celebrating Brown & Co’s first birthday with you this weekend.