Buyers approach forecourt at fuel stop on the edge of paradise
The search is on for new owners for a vital fuel stop and garage business that comes with a unique opportunity to live and work in a famous West Coast tourist spot.
The NPD service station and workshop for sale in Fox Glacier has been run by its husband-and-wife owners for around 30 years in an area renowned for its rugged beauty and unique lifestyle.
With an estimated permanent population of 300, Fox Glacier township sits at the edge of a World Heritage area containing the glacier after which it is named. Glacier and heli tours attract visitors from New Zealand and around the world, while the reflection of Aoraki/Mount Cook and Mount Tasman in nearby Lake Matheson is an icon of the country’s tourist industry.
The township’s position on State Highway 6, the only road linking the tourist attractions of the West Coast and Queenstown, ensures a steady flow of visitors and through-traffic.
With the nearest service stations nearly 25 kilometres north in Franz Josef or, via 120 kilometres of wilderness to the south, in Haast, the Fox Glacier business is a lifeline for travellers needing to refuel and stock up on snacks. It also serves the needs of a rural community spanning a fair swathe of South Westland.
The well-equipped workshop has rescued many a holiday by attending to broken down cars as well as campervans, buses and farm vehicles – with the owner responding to callouts up and down the coast.
The freehold land, buildings and business sustaining NPD Fox Glacier Motors, located at 50-52 Main Road, Fox Glacier, are now being marketed for sale as a going concern by negotiation through Bayleys Real Estate.
The sale includes some 440 square metres of buildings, including a retail store, workshop and forecourt canopy, on more than 1600sqm of commercial-zoned land.
“After three decades under the current owners, this is a proven business and a well-known and respected part of the South Westland community,” Bayleys salesperson Joel Everson said.
“With the owners now ready to pass on the baton, there’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity for an owner-occupier to come and own and work in their own business in this world-renowned slice of paradise, with value underpinned by the commercial real estate.
“With its unmissable main-road frontage within Fox Glacier township, this business is ready for new owners to take it to the next level as tourist numbers pick up post-COVID. The operation is well placed to capitalise on the increasingly high volumes and this is reflected in recent sales data,” Everson said.
The service station, convenience retail store and workshop currently generate a total net income of approximately $223,000 per annum, before the owners’ wages are deducted.
One owner is a trained mechanic running the workshop while the other staffs the retail space and takes care of administration.
Further financial information and details on business performance are available to potential buyers subject to signing a confidentiality agreement.
Bayleys salesperson Kate Mullins said the operation was particularly well-suited to another working couple, with options available to rent or buy a residence next door or nearby through the vendor.
Alternatively, a buyer with an existing network of service stations could seek to add this NPD to secure the strategic location, she said.
NPD Fox Glacier Motors offers Regular 91, Premium 95 and diesel fuels via four pumps on its covered forecourt, as well as truck stop services.
Currently staffed Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and 8:30am to 5pm at weekends, it offers motorists 24/7 access to pay at the pump with Eftpos/credit card, NPDcard and Mobilcard.