Let's go shopping

Being in New Zealand such a long time, we’ve done a lot of shopping – regular, everyday shopping, not only tourist shopping.

It’s been interesting seeing how different shops are here.  Firstly, the shopping centres.  There are Malls, but most grocery shops – the main chains are Countdown, Pack n Save and New World – are not anchors in a Mall.  They often stand alone – in the middle of big parking lots.  They all have covered foyers – obviously built for the miserable winter weather.  They may be linked with other shops – Fraser Cove Shopping centre near Nic’s home has a Countdown – but here the shops are not all under one roof.  This centre – like many others –has a mass of chain shops and some speciality shops but they are spread out with covered verandahs linking them.  But it’s quite a trek from one end to the other and when it’s raining, despite the verandahs, you get wet!

The grocery shops we have patronised are mostly Pack n Save – a huge “hyper” type shop with aisles cowering under towering shelves reaching up to the ceiling.  I always feel a bit claustrophobic in Pack n Save – it’s like Makro but narrower and sells mostly groceries.  It’s cheaper than the other stores, and you get to take your groceries home in the trolley or a box – no packets.  Mostly the shoppers are grumpy but the tellers are super friendly.  You mostly only find Pack n Save in a big town and usually in the centre. Countdown is found in more places – every suburb has its own and there are big and small ones.  I like the one in Fraser Cove – it’s open and bright – but it generally is quite expensive.  It’s more Pick n Pay than Checkers.  Nicky hates Countdown but we find it convenient to go to.  Then there’s New World – you see less of them and they are nice shops – like Parklane Spar.  But we seldom shop there.

In small towns, you don’t find any of the big chains – just a 4Square which is like a local Spar.  You find these local convenience stores all over – even i9n the middle of shopping streets.  They are usually expensive but open long hours – not that the big chains don’t – there are even 24hr Countdowns in some places and most stay open till 9 or 10.  And then in Suburbs, you find “dairys” – what we would call a “tearoom” – both totally inappropriate names for small, very expensive convenience stores.

I’ve found shopping for groceries difficult – there are so many specials and prices on fresh goods fluctuate much more than they do at home.  Nic gave me a list of what prices I should pay for meat, butter and fruit and veggies – if it’s more, don’t buy now – it will be on sale next week, she says.  And it is – I’m not used to groceries being on sale.

Sales are big – everyone is always having sales.  Briscoes (a home goods shop) has a different sale every week.  We’ve learnt that you never buy anything full price at Briscoes, because it will soon be on sale.  Farmers (like Edgars) had a pre-Christmas sale, a Christmas sale, a Boxing Day sale, a New Year’s sale and then a Waitangi Day sale – all in the space of 6 weeks.  TV adverts are full of sales – Harvey Norman seems to have a different sale every week.

A shop I love shopping at is Spotlight.  This is Ragland plus Prints Charming plus Mr Price Home all in one.  And their sales of fabrics are amazing – sometimes you pay 25% of the normal price for a few days – so heaven help you if you don’t buy enough fabric for your project!  The quilting fabric is fantastic! I have had such fun working with the fabrics in the packs – they are so well put together.

But my very favourite part about shopping in New Zealand is the shopping streets.  In Tauranga there is Devonport Street – lovely, varied shops on both sides of a paved street you can drive down.  There are some chain shops – like Whitcoulls, the bookshop, Stevens (homeware to die for) and Glassons which sells ladies clothes (Miladys), but also lots of smaller shops, boutique shops, cafes and restuarants.  Lovely arcades link the two main streets with charming shops hidden away next to shops which do alterations and tattoos.  The Rialto Cinema – 5* cinema – is in one of the arcades.  At the bottom of Devonport Street it opens out into the Strand, with tourist shops and restaurants.  When the weather is good, you sit out on the pavement drinking your coffee and watching the world go by. 

But the shopping streets are not just here – Downtown the Mount is a similar street at the Mount, and we’ve experienced these shopping streets all over New Zealand.  Shopping is more leisurely, less frenetic and certainly safer than walking down Church Street!