Lack of travellers keeps business quiet

Although stocking a variety of daily food products, there is still some confusion whether the Kaiwaka Cheese Shop was classed as an essential service under Level 4, owner for 15 years Keith Draper says.

While waiting for clarity from Ministry of Business Innovation Employment (MBIE), Draper decided at first to open the store. However he closed the doors quickly after receiving negative feedback from the public.

“We basically couldn’t find out, I wrote to MBIE and it took them three weeks to reply and then it was just a form saying ‘these are the business which are allowed to be open’ so it didn’t really help,” he says. “Virtually we are the same as a dairy in the range of products we sell which makes us essential, but many people don’t consider us that way and that’s why we got a bit of flak.”

The stores products are now sold either via email and phone with customers, mainly regulars, picking up their orders from the shop between the reduced hours of 10am–3pm.

“It’s been fine though very quiet. We’re doing 10-15 per cent of our normal trade, questionable whether it’s cost effective, though staff are receiving the subsidy. Without it we would be in trouble.”

However with one full-time and five part-time retail assistants, Draper has concerns when the government funding runs out, a situation he says is unknown as ‘we don’t know how much business will pick up once we’re at Level 2’. Like most small companies across the country, related business expenses are pressing including a liquor license fee which the council are still ‘hounding me for’.

“Haven’t been approached by the council yet for anything besides a survey. However we have some relief from rent thanks to our landlord for the short-term, not sure what’s going to happen long-term though.”

Future business projections are unknown at this stage as Draper imagines people having less money to spend, and the Cheese Shop relies to a certain extent on travellers cruising through Kaiwaka via State Highway 1.

“Even in this time of year we get a lot of campervans with overseas tourists, but hopefully we’ll see a lot more Kiwi tourists… and maybe even some Australians.”

Keith Draper’s ‘No cheese for miles’ shop stocks not only exotic cheeses and gifts but also daily products such as milk and bread - and wine.