Blenheim Westwood shop opening!

READ AND WIN $50 VOUCHER GIVEAWAY! PLUS CHECK THE READER PRIZE WINNER FROM LAST TIME! DETAILS AT THE END.

Welcome! On Thursday 4 September we opened another big shop – Westwood, in Blenheim. Not to be confused with our long-standing shop on Blenheim Road in Christchurch, Blenheim Westwood shop is in the town of Blenheim, 4 hours away at the top of the South Island.

We’re happy to say the locals were not confused at all – check out the big crowd!

In the heart of Marlborough wine country, we’ve been working on a shop in Blenheim for some time, as Director Costa explains:

We’ve visited the Westwood shopping centre 3 times in the last 5 years. Each time we wished we could have a business here, but the opportunity never came up.

Recently, the centre started building an extension and was looking for someone like St Pierres.  We immediately signed up as we knew it would be a great location and a long-term business.

Westwood is the premier retail destination in Blenheim. It has the best retailers you could ask for such as Pak N Save, Bunnings and KMart that drive customers to your door.

But the opening exceeded even our high expectations! The opening day sales were a new shop record and continued through to the weekend.

Most importantly, our new shop and the team have been well received by the locals. We’re very happy to be here, and really appreciate the welcome.

New manager Linda moved down from Auckland. The shop has been very busy, but she had plenty of help – in addition to area manager Kei and Ashburton partner Yoshi from Christchurch, Ormiston partner Lina came from Auckland and three experienced managers hopped over the strait from Wellington. A senior assistant manager also came from Wellington the week after.

Linda commented:

Blenheim’s St Pierres is located in Westwood, a newly-established community.

Our place is in a really nice spot with great views and that chill small-town vibe. The dining area’s super cozy and can fit a good crowd—lots of room for everyone. Everything’s clean and comfy, so it feels just welcoming when you come in.

Opening day was absolutely wild! It felt like the entire town showed up. The line stretched so far we could barely see the end, and everyone was loading up on sushi—we sold like crazy. We even set a new company record for opening day sales!

I’d especially like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our Kei-san, Yoshi-san, every store manager who rushed here to support us, and those dedicated staff who followed me from Auckland to embark on this journey together. And to my entire team—your professionalism, warmth, and relentless hard work truly made this achievement possible. Thank you all.

I recently put down roots in Auckland by purchasing a home. Leaving Auckland meant leaving behind not just a house, but a home. This has been an incredibly tough decision for me.

But this past month has completely convinced me that this was the right decision. I truly look forward to the journey ahead, and I’m confident that we’ll build a bright future right here.

The Westwood opening exceeded all of our expectations. At St Pierres, we’re so grateful for the support we receive in all parts of NZ, both cities and provincial areas.

Thanks again to the Westwood staff and manager who came to help for your incredible work – and see you here soon for more big news!

READ AND WIN! Congratulations to Chanadda Boonpokong from Newmarket Eatery sushi in Auckland, who won her choice of one $50 WOOLWORTHS VOUCHER or a DOUBLE PASS MOVIE VOUCHER at Hoyts or Event Cinemas for her answer last time.

This week we’re giving away the same prize.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
What three cities did staff come from to help on opening day?

Comment below with
1. Your name and shop
2. Your answer to the above question

Entries close at 12 noon on Monday 22 September 2025.