Wānaka shop opening!

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

Welcome! On Thursday 21 May we opened in Wānaka!

Surrounded by stunning mountain and lake scenery, this South Island alpine resort attracts visitors year round. An outdoor lifestyle hub with a growing population, Wānaka is a natural fit for St Pierres. And many locals agreed!

According to Director Nick

Some people think of Wānaka as a younger sibling of Queenstown, but it’s a tourist town and residential area in its own right. Wānaka has simply beautiful scenery, and is famous for dark skies stargazing and the Wings over Wānaka festival.

We’re hoping the shop will be popular year round, and the Bento Bowl will be great in ski season. And notably, it’s one of the few towns we’ve beaten McDonald’s to open first.

A huge thanks to everyone – managers came from Christchurch, Invercargill, Queenstown.. It really adds to the family vibe when everyone pitches in. I believe it helps local staff realise they are part of something bigger, and their motivation to succeed as part of a team.

Design and Delivery Manager Alina was very happy, commenting

This was a really satisfying project. The location is stunning, with snow-capped mountains all around, and the Three Parks landscaping is beautiful too.

It’s a brand-new building and our first time working with contractor Complete Construction. Everything went very smoothly, and it was a pleasure to work with them.

We included some local flavour, with skiers and snowboarders in mind. On top of our design language, we added natural timber and pure white details to evoke the landscape and snow.

Overall, it’s a significant strategic location. We’re very happy to be in Wānaka, a great platform for further growth.

Founding manager Charles was thrilled, saying

I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the managers (Ashburton, Rolleston, Queentown, Invercargill, Riccarton and Dunedin) and area manager Kazuyo who dedicated their expertise to train our new staff over four weeks. Equally, thanks to the office team for their organization and steady support.

The opening was tremendous—smooth and far surpassing our expectations. The positive energy from the local community made their anticipation clear.

Wānaka is stunning, nestled among mountains with a beautiful lake at its heart. I dreamed of settling down here. For a while, that dream seemed out of reach, but our partnership program reignited my hope. I committed myself to extra training and helping wherever I could to be ready. When the CEO offered me the Wānaka opportunity, it felt like a dream come true.

I really believe that this company supports our ambitions and goals, as long as we have passion, responsibility, and a big appetite for our dreams. If you work hard, the possibilities here are endless.

Then on Wednesday 22 July, we opened the bento department, the first in central Otago. The crisp weather was perfect for hot Japanese soul food!

Director Costa commented

It was a soft opening but sales were great. Namtip set a great example for the new staff, providing chicken samples and charming customers into trying Bento Bowl. We have high hopes both for Wānaka Bento and Namtip’s future career.

What a unique new shop – and there will be more soon!

READ AND WIN!
Congratulations to Maribel Florendo from Kapiti Coastlands, 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.

Newtown, Queensgate, Cable Car, Lambton Square, Queensgate Kiosk and Petone shops all helped with the Kilbirnie opening. Thanks to everyone around Wellington for helping Kilbirnie shop succeed – it was a real team effort!

This time we’re giving away the same prize.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Staff from which shop helped with the Wānaka Bento Bowl opening day?

Entries close at 12 noon on Thursday 27 August 2026.

Please comment with your answer, your name and shop name.
Competition open to St Pierres staff only.