ReCooper8

Featheston is looking hot to trot recently – exciting new shops are opening up left, right and centre, and so there is NO EXCUSE to not to do a bit, or all, of your Christmas shopping locally this year! Here’s my list of top places to spend your cash and flex your Eftpos card during the festive season, and beyond:

You crafty devil….

Regular listeners of ReCooper8 will know that I am a huge fan of Craft Country, Featherston’s boutique craft heaven, located just by the zebra crossing, opposite Four Square. The hand made, hand crafted items available here are exquisite and include jewellery, children’s clothes, soft furnishing, men and women’s wear, stationary, and kids soft toys. The store operates as a collective, with the majority of the stockists sharing the load of manning the shop and paying the rent. Check out their website here, and find them on Facebook here, but, better still, visit the store in real life by using your feet and/or wheels to get here!

“I think tomorrow is a say-something-hat day.” (Vida Boheme)

Has somebody in your life got a head for hats? Then, after you’ve had a good gander in Craft Country, trot 20 paces to the left and pop into Aurora Designs, Featherston’s very own millinery marvel! Owned and run by Dawn Clark, this beautiful shop specialises in hand made cloche hats, reminiscent of the 1920s and 30s. Stylish and flattering, these hats are available in a range of designs, colours and finishes, and would make a superb gift. Recently, Dawn has diversified into restoring and selling antique furniture, so if you can’t find a hat for your friend or loved one, then treat them to a tall boy!

Aurora Designs is having a sale this coming weekend – in store only Dawn will be offering 10% off all purchases so if you or anyone you know wants to do very last-minute Christmas shopping then she encourages you to drop in!  Plus, even if you are not in Featherston, you can still support our local businesses as Dawn is one of the stallholders at the weekly ‘Hutt Night Market’ which is every Thursday 12 noon to 8.30pm right up until the 7th of February. It’s on Margaret Street, right opposite Queensgate in Lower Hutt. There are selected, high quality craft stalls as well as lots of food and goodies.

To learn more about Dawn, check out my interview with her that we recorded back in October this year.

“Oh, for a draught of vintage!” (John Keats)

Featherston is becoming something of a haven for the discerning vintage shopper. Most recently, a little store cleverly called Mr Feather’s Den has opened, next door to the delightful Everest Café, at 19 Fitzherbert Street.  Owned and managed by local artist, Sue Ryan, this beautiful store specializes in local original art, prints, antiques and vintage goodies.   Look out for Sue’s website in 2013.  A little further up the street, on the same side, is Goodstock Vintage and Retro specialising in restored vintage furniture and curios of yesteryear.  Owner, Gary Philip, is also selling homebaked pizzas from his mobile pizzeria, which he parks down the side of the shop!  Massage therapist and all round local lovely lady, Reanne Tawharu, and her partner Brendon have opened What Goes Around Comes Around, a couple of doors down from the video store at 50B Fitzherbert Street. This beautiful store stocks on-trend pre-owned fashion and footwear, vintage furniture, soft furnishings and art prints. Don’t forget to check out the culinary inspired light fittings!

Put your best (dressed) foot forward!

If you’ve ever tried to find a decent, cool pair of socks (and I’m not talking nylon nightmares covered in Micky Mouse), then you may have found that the antipodes can be a bit of a sink hole in that department! But, my friend Maeve Finnigan has fixed all that with her locally run internet store, Goodsocks! Buying the old man a pair of socks for Christmas no longer needs to be a bit of a naff thing to do! Far from it! With a mission to ‘brighten up kiwi feet’, goodsocks.co.nz brings you some of the most delicious socks, and, over the Christmas period, with free delivery. Ankle socks, knee-hi’s, over the knee, they are all there. Some of my favourites for women include ‘Heidi’, and ‘Christy’, and for men you can’t go wrong with the gorgeous ‘Stripe’ or the military inspired ‘Army Star’. But, hurry, these socks are running out the door!

“Books are uniquely transportable magic.” (Stephen King)

And how right Mr King is! Phillip Percy has created his own little bit of magic for children with his debut book, The Old White Truck. It is a gorgeous tale of scones and community in small town New Zealand that kids will love, and parents certainly won’t mind reading over, and over, and over again! Written locally in Martinborough, and published by Phil himself, this is the perfect gift for children. The book is a snip at $20, and Phil will ship locally and abroad. To find out more about the book and it’s author, and to make your order today, click here!

If you know of any other retail outlets in Featherston, or internet retail initiatives based locally, that you think deserve a mention, do let me know!