The Best Shops in Mt Maunganui, New Zealand – The Shop Local Edit
The Shop Local Edit
Undoubtedly, I have had a lifelong passion for shopping and gorgeous things. And whenever I travel, one of my absolute favourite sightseeing options is checking out the local shopping. Not purely from an over-consumerism perspective, I love retail spaces from an aesthetic, interior decor, branding, and the unique wares they have chosen to stock.
I have been fortunate to travel with my children’s sport in more recent years, both internationally and to almost every town in New Zealand. On such occasions, I always make the most of any downtime to check out the local shopping destinations and consider myself a bit of an expert on great finds and where to shop.
I had considered creating a series of posts on such finds for quite a while. But with Covid-19 wreaking havoc on local economies, shopping with local businesses has become more important than ever.
I hope you find some inspiration in my series on “The Shop Local Edit – The Best Shops in New Zealand! “
The Shop Local Movement
It goes without saying that we have all faced some incredibly trying times. However, you are one of the lucky ones if you have come through Covid-19 unscathed, with a job, your income still intact, and your health!
In New Zealand, shopping restrictions have recently been lifted to include non-essential items, and you may be looking for some retail therapy. With the global pandemic wreaking havoc on local economies, shopping with local businesses has become more important than ever.
We help keep our communities strong by shopping locally, encouraging the continued growth and survival of small boutique shops, reducing environmental impacts, and keeping jobs in New Zealand. Most importantly, we help our local businesses get back on their feet.
Many local shops & boutiques have had to be innovative and quickly adapt to the new norm in these unprecedented times. Including an online platform (if they didn’t have one previously) makes it easy to shop online from anywhere.
My Favourite Shops in Mt Maunganui, New Zealand
I’m not sure that I count the times I have been to Mt Maunganui (& Tauranga) in recent years. There have been numerous sports trips ranging from day trips to a week.
On such occasions, I always make the most of any downtime to check out the local shopping destinations and consider myself a bit of an expert on great finds and where to shop.
There is no doubt that COVID-19 and New Zealand’s currently closed borders have hit all townships in New Zealand exceptionally hard. And with my shopping experience in the area, I considered this my perfect fourth shopping destination for my Shop Local Edits!
Mount Maunganui is one of the country’s must-visit holiday destinations (or The Mount, as New Zealanders refer to it). This relaxed beach town has been likened to Southern California and Australia’s Gold Coast with the charm of New Zealand.
The heart of the Mount is defined by the “Main Street” nestled between the towering “Mount” mountain (called Mauao) and a beach as far as the eye can see.
Away from the malls, “Main Street” is lined with phoenix palm trees and a unique mix of retail shops, from exquisite boutique fashion stores to trendy surf shops. It’s a shopping experience in New Zealand like no other, with a relaxed boutique shopping experience.
Aside from shopping, the beach, and a hike up the Mount, there are plenty of other attractions in Mt Maunganui and Tauranga, and you can check them out here.
The Best Shops In Mt Maunganui, New Zealand.
I hope you enjoy the edit and find inspiration from my favourite shops in Mt Maunganui. Including a selection of a few of my current favourite items that I would add to my shopping cart.
Be sure to check out their websites and follow them on social media to keep updated with their new arrivals. And remember to “Shop Like Your Local Shops Depend On It”…because they do!
Paula x
The Edit
The Best Shops in Mt Maunganui, New Zealand | The Shop Local Edit
1. SISTERS & CO
What I love about Sisters & Co;
Sisters & Co would be one of the ultimate boutique destination stores I have found in my travels. It’s a great space with a refined collection of many of the most renowned New Zealand and International designers.
Absolutely one of the Best Shops in Mt Maunganui, it’s a unique shopping experience and must-visit in Mt Maunganui or online, with some of my favourite brands being;
New Zealand Designers – Caitlin Crisp | Mahsa | Marle | Matteau | Harris Tapper | Kate Sylvester | Karen Walker | Idae | Juliette Hogan | Deadly Ponies | La Tribe
International Designers – Anine Bing | C&M | Ksubi | P.E. Nation | Bassike | VEJA | Phillipe Model
To find out more about Sisters & Co, click here.
Follow on Instagram @sisterssnaps
Shop My Favourites
2. WENDYS + tilda BOUTIQUE
What I love about Wendys + tildA Boutique;
Tilda is the sister store to Wendys Boutique (a well-established clothing boutique over the bridge in Tauranga). They have a beautiful selection of clothing from top designers, gifts, jewellery and accessories.
Both stores are well worth a visit if you are in the area, with an ethos of phenomenal fashion, excellent service and the desire to empower clients. Be sure to follow them on social media, as their unbelievable end-of-season “% off everything” sales are worth checking out.
Trelise Cooper | COOPER | COOP | Zoe Kratzman | Morrison | Hut Clothing | Taylor | Sills
To find out more about Wendys + Tilda Boutique, click here.
tilda Boutique
Follow on Instagram @tildamtmaunganui
Follow on Facebook @tildamtmaunganui
Wendys Boutique
Follow on Instagram @wendysboutique
Follow on Facebook @wendysboutique
Shop My Favourites
3. FLUX BOUTIQUE
What I love about Flux Boutique;
“Contemporary designer homewares and gifts…. without the designer price tag!“
A stunning and carefully curated collection of home decor, furniture, lighting and gifts from designers and makers locally, nationally and abroad.
Flux Boutique (and its online store) have to be one of the most gorgeous and aesthetically stunning homeward and gift stores in New Zealand.
To find out more about Flux Boutique, click here.
Follow on Instagram @fluxboutique
Follow on Facebook @fluxboutique
Shop My Favourites
4. BLAKCHAOS
What I love about BLAKCHAOS;
BLAKCHAOS is a collaborative store between two New Zealand designers, Teresa Hodges of BLAK Clothing and Rebecca Anderson of Chaos & Harmony Shoes.
The sleekly designed minimalist store sits in the heart of Mount Maunganui, home to both store designers. Both brands have a Bridal range within the store. And there is also a selection of labels handpicked by the co-creators to complement their founding brands.
To find out more about BLAKCHAOS, click here.
Follow on Instagram @blakchaos
Follow on Facebook @blakchaosstore
Shop My Favourites
5. PAPER PLANE
What I love about Paper Plane;
A gorgeous design studio and store with a welcoming, minimalistic, and clean aesthetic. It has a lovely selection of designer gifts, accessories, homewares, furniture, lighting, art, books, and home decor.
A must-visit shop when in Mt Maunganui.
To find out more about Paper Plane, click here.
Follow on Instagram @paperplanestore
Follow on Facebook @paperplanenz
Shop My Favourites
6. MOOCHI
What I love about MOOCHI;
The Moochi label is unique, wearable, sophisticated and distinctively on-trend. There is no doubt that Moochi is a premium New Zealand fashion brand with a loyal and cult-like local following.
When focusing on “Shop Local”, it’s hard not to be impressed by such a successful New Zealand fashion label. All designs are created in-house at the Moochi head office, with products predominantly made in New Zealand, with pattern making, fabric cutting, sewing, and pressing locally occurring.
All Moochi stores are lovely places to shop, with gorgeous fit-outs and stunning displays. And despite each moochi store having its own name to reflect the location, the branding is so strong that you instinctively know you are in Moochi. To check out store locations, click here.
The Mt Maunganui store was opened in 2019 and is called Moochi Main. The Mount is where it all started for Moochi’s husband and wife team, Chris and Kellie Taylor, over 20 years ago.
To find out more about Moochi, click here.
Follow on Instagram @moochi_
Follow on Facebook @moochixx
Nb; You can read all about Moochi in my post, The Shop Local Edit – My Current Moochi Obsessions.
Shop My Favourites
Other Noteworthy Stores
01. Repertoire – A New Zealand fashion label – designed and made in New Zealand. To find out more about Repertoire, click here.
02. Wallis – Strong supporters of New Zealand Fashion with labels including Ketz-ke, Nyne, X.Lab, Leo+Be, Nick Von K, Betty Basics and more. To find out more about Wallis, click here.
03. Evolution Clothing – A New Zealand clothing label started in Mt Maunganui. To find out more about Evolution Clothing, click here.
04. Lululemon (a notable location by being one of only seven Lululemon stores in New Zealand)
05. Greenslades Furniture (while not strictly in Mt Maunganui but Tauranga, one of the best high-quality furniture & homewares stores I have found in New Zealand). To find out more about Greenslades Furniture, click here.
The Best Shops in Mt Maunganui | My Favourite Cafes
Europe may have essentially created the coffee/cafe culture. However, there is no doubt that New Zealand has a world-class coffee and cafe scene of its own.
Independent cafés and trendy coffee houses are now the go-to spots, and the Mt Maunganui cafe scene is no exception. These are two of my favourite cafes for coffee and eating in Mt Maunganui.
1. MIXTURE EATERY
What I love about Mixture Eatery;
In my opinion, Mixture Eatery has created the perfect relaxed cafe location. The décor of the café is both spacious and trendy, with an industrial feel and plants and vintage lights dripping from the ceiling. There are plenty of seating options, and on a nice day, the tables sprawl out onto the pavement, making it a great spot to enjoy a coffee, breakfast or lunch.
The cabinet is piled high with an incredible selection of food, a mixture of stunning baked goods, clean eats and vegetarian, and there is also an extensive blackboard menu.
While not in the epicentre of Main Street, once I discovered Mixture Eatery, it was my go-to cafe! Enough said…it’s fantastic!
Follow on Instagram @mixture_eatery
Follow on Facebook @mixtureeatery
2. EIGHTY-EIGHT CAFE
What I love about Eighty-Eight Cafe;
Cafe 88 has a fantastic menu and delicious counter/cabinet food located in the heart of Mount Maunganui.
It’s an incredibly busy cafe, and when you eat there, you can see why.
They have a lovely little courtyard area and sidewalk tables, making dining there an all-around awesome experience.
Follow on Instagram @eightyeight_cafe
Follow on Facebook @cafe88mount
P.s.
If you like this post on “The Shop Local Edit – The Best Shops in Mt Maunganui, NZ.”, check out my previous posts in the Shop Local Edit;
1) Shop Local Edit – My Favourite Shops in Havelock North, New Zealand
2) Shop Local Edit – My Favourite Shops in Queenstown, New Zealand
3) Shop Local Edit – The Best Shops in Timaru, New Zealand
4) The Best Ethical & Sustainable New Zealand Fashion Designers To Know
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