At a time when main street retailing is more challenging than ever, the village of Milford is punching well above its weight. Milford is fortunate to have a passionate business community which is dedicated to the goal of ensuring Milford is increasingly viewed as the North Shore’s premium shopping destination. Channel Magazine’s Aidan Bennett is a Milford regular and was despatched in August to chat with key people who are making a difference in Milford.
When we set up Channel Magazine 102 issues and almost a decade ago, one of the first people we went to see was Milford Business Association Manager Murray Hill. We were fortunate that he shared our vision for highlighting all the positive things happening in the community, and as a result the association has been a strong supporter of the magazine. We have also witnessed the passion that Murray has for the area. It is an area where he has lived and worked in for many years, and Murray has been fortunate in that he has always had a supportive Milford Business Association board.
The results of Milford Business Association’s hard work are really showing in Milford. In the current retail climate businesses do come and go, but Milford is fortunate to have a very good base, or spine. This is made up of key infrastructure entities and many rock-solid retail and service businesses. The exciting thing is that a range of good quality new businesses have also come along in recent times.
There’s a real community feel about the place. It’s not unusual to see all-hands-on-deck by community members or groups when things need to be done or organised for the town centre. Most recently, the work done by Milford Rotary is a prime example of playing a big part in bringing the street furniture back to life.
“Milford Rotary’s plan for our 2019/2020 year is to focus on our local community,” explained Milford Rotary President Alison Waugh, when quizzed about their involvement in the street furniture project. “As a result we have been liaising with Murray (Hill) to support the Milford beautification programme. For this programme, 12 members of our club have volunteered their time to clean and paint 19 benches in the Milford Village and six on Shakespeare Road.
“We also completed the planting of the large pots and containers which can be seen down the main street in Milford, and on the corners of Shakespeare, Dodson and Milford Roads. We have applied for a council grant to add more of these around the Milford area.
“I got involved as a member of our club ‘community services’ group and I am also our club delegate for the Milford Boardwalk Project, planned to be completed by 2021. Milford is my village, and I enjoy being involved in making it a great environment for all to live in. Our Milford shopping area is maturing into an exceptional shopping location providing a wide variety of outlets to meet everyone’s needs.”
Milford Rotary has 43 members who meet weekly at the Pupuke Golf Club. They also have a satellite club called Next Rotary Generation – North Shore, catering for the 30ish to 50ish age group who meet fortnightly at Smales Farm. Milford Rotary supports local schools and works on a few street collections such as Red Puppy Appeal and Heart Kids. Any locals interested in volunteering, giving back to your community and having fun can find out more information from their Facebook pages (Rotary Milford NZ or NRG North Shore) or by emailing Clive Menkin at menkin@menkin.co.nz.
The Milford spine I referred to earlier in this article is led by the Milford Centre – the mall. The owner continues to invest in the shopping centre, with stage one of the recent refurbishment now complete. This refurbishment has included beautiful new flooring, lighting, paintwork, seating and a gorgeous ‘green wall’ plant feature.
Milford Centre's Kate Carey tells us that this is just the beginning. “We’re looking forward to the future of Milford Centre, along with the beautification of Milford’s township. In early 2020, we will launch stage two of the Milford Centre refurbishment, which will focus on new public amenities.
“Our store offering has never been stronger and we eagerly anticipate the arrival of new tenants in the next six to 12 months. These will be premium stores which will solidify our position as the shopping centre of choice on the North Shore.”
Kate Carey says Milford Centre will be celebrating the completion of stage one with a special event scheduled for Saturday October 19th.
Milford is also fortunate to have two great supermarkets, with New World on the main street and Countdown a key ingredient in Milford Centre. The Warehouse – another key part of the Milford Centre – also adds a great deal.
The combination of the mall with good quality Milford main street retailers, hospitality outlets and service businesses is a good one. When we set about featuring Milford for this issue, we invited a few of those business leaders to feature on our cover.
In 2018, Milford welcomed the arrival of Well Hung Butchery to the northern end of the main street. Well Hung is a gourmet butcher that specialises in premium New Zealand grass-fed and dry-aged meat. This new business is a prime example of the calibre of new stores that Milford is attracting, and the shop’s range of high-quality, great-tasting, dry-aged and fresh meats have quickly become a favourite with Shore meat lovers.
Caroline Mulholland of Well Hung explained that they chose Milford because of its amazing community. “We felt it was missing a great, old-fashioned butcher who could deliver top-quality, premium New Zealand meats. People in our area are also discerning foodies so we felt offering a range of dry-aged meats would be enthusiastically embraced, which it has been.
“We enjoy getting to know our customers. We love seeing our regulars, and our staff are always happy to go above and beyond. This includes special orders or catering for a special occasion with our slow-cooked rotisserie meats and potatoes, or simply offering advice and cooking tips.”
Another Milford store that has gathered a following is vintage clothing outlet Painted Bird, which opened in 2016. Owner Stephanie King’s store evolved from a passion for the ‘hard to find’ piece, bespoke styles, cuts and textiles found in premium vintage clothing from the 1940s to the 1970s. She says these styles are easily incorporated into our current looks.
“The community in Milford has been so supportive and receptive to making a change to sustainable fashion,” says Stephanie King. “I offer a free personal styling service, history and fashion all rolled up in one space, and people come to shop and share. Seeing the confidence that comes from Milford ladies choosing to wear boutique vintage is inspiring to me every day.
“The Milford culture has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. We offer so many boutique destination stores on the main street that used to only be found over the bridge. Milford is a fabulous place for my store – offering more 'environmentally sound' businesses is an opportunity not every suburb has taken on yet.
“I love the people in Milford. I love the visits, the open mind to change, the sharing of stories on the street, the supportive fellow business owners – the people of Milford make it the most pleasurable place to come to every day to work.”
The Booklover is a destination store in Milford and has become North Shore's beloved independent bookshop. The business has been the 15-year passion of Tom Beran and Helen Drummond, who have recently sold to Olivia Spooner. They were diligent in finding a new owner who shared their passion and commitment to personal service, and was also a knowledgeable book ‘passionado’. The Booklover is known for its great selection and always locating the books you are seeking.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my first few weeks getting to know the wonderful The Booklover customers and learning the ins and outs of running an independent bookstore,” said new owner Olivia Spooner in mid-August. “Everyone has been very welcoming and supportive.
“To run a bookstore has been a long-held dream of mine as I am passionate about books, reading and encouraging creativity. My days are spent surrounded by books, talking about books and learning from books – I couldn’t ask for a better day job!
“I love that The Booklover is based in Milford as there’s a great vibe here – a ‘village within a city feel’ where there’s a strong sense of community and a laid-back, friendly atmosphere. Thanks everyone for welcoming me into the Milford fold. Please, if I haven’t met you yet, come on in and say hi – I’ll do my best to remember your name and help with any book requests/suggestions.”
Kara Coffee and Store is just one of a number of great quality eateries that have developed in Milford in recent years. The village has a really diverse range of options for those wishing to enjoy great food or hospitality, and since opening in Milford around three years ago, Kara has developed a strong reputation for good coffee and interesting food options – good café food along with Asian fusion dishes. Their dumpling soup is a favourite of mine.
Jamie Cha of Kara says the business has been growing every year. He sold a café in another part of the city and came to Milford’s main street as he believed it was a busy area with lots of foot traffic…and he hasn’t been disappointed. “We are usually a bit slower in the winter period but we have been just as busy right through this year, which is very pleasing. We are really enjoying Milford and love the people. They’re very friendly and supportive of our business.”
Travel is also a sector that Milford has well and truly covered. Shore people love to travel and have some great options at Milford to take care of all their requirements. Mary Buckley’s helloworld is a prominent player in Milford, and her business goes from strength to strength. As well as the Milford store on the corner of Milford and Kitchener Roads, Mary now has three other helloworld stores, in Browns Bay, Henderson and Ponsonby. Mary and her husband Jason have owned helloworld Travel Milford for four years and they live locally just up the road in Mairangi Bay.
“We love being in the heart of Milford at our prominent location,” explained Mary Buckley. “We enjoy being a store that locals and visitors can pop in for a chat or book their dream holiday. We feel Milford is a destination on the North Shore, with a lovely range of boutique stores and delicious eateries. Our business also fits well in Milford, with many locals being frequent travellers and positioned to enjoy regular holidays as part of their lifestyle.
“Milford has a warm community beach-side feel. The locals are friendly and supportive of local businesses and community activities. We are so lucky that Milford is such a lovely location for outdoor activities, having the beach and Lake Pupuke on our doorstep.”
So, there it is folks - Milford…our premium shopping village. There’s always something happening and the next few months are no different. There’s a $4000 travel prize up for grabs in September and October, thanks to helloworld; Milford Centre’s special celebration of the completion of stage one on Saturday, October 19; the Milford Pirate and Heritage Day on Saturday, November 9; and the hugely popular Christmas By The Lake show in the run-up to Christmas. If you haven’t been to Milford recently, it’s probably time to take a look!
