Everyone knows that one of the things we are more inclined to do during a break away from our usual routine is to spend a little more on shopping than we might normally do at home. When you are feeling relaxed, have plenty of time to browse and explore, shopping can actually be a pleasurable way to spend part of your day on holiday.
So we thought we might give you a few insights into what sort of shopping - and browsing, you can do to pass the time during your holiday in Hanmer Springs. Although the town is small, we have some great little shops to discover and we've added in a few local artists and galleries outside of the town as well if you are interested in finding some new art to take home with you.
Homestead Interiors, Shop 2, The Village Shopping Centre, 24 Conical Hill Road
Homestead Interiors sources the latest in beautiful furniture, homeware & gifts from around the globe. This is one of those shops where you can literally browse for hours and always walk out with at least one new acquisition for yourself or the perfect gift for someone else. Products range from artwork to bags, bedroom and dining furnishings and accessories, baby gifts, jewellery, goodies for the bathroom and much more.
Up the Garden Path, Alpine Pacific Centre, 5 Conical Hill Road
Up the Garden Path is one of Hanmer's largest gift shops, with a range of homewares, gifts and accessories from around New Zealand. The brands they stock include Living Light Candles, Citta Design, French Country Collections, Karlsson, Scully's, Disaster Designs, Cecily UBU and many more. The product range covers items for children, men and women, home and living, bath and body and stationery.
Decadent Fudge aka Flavours of New Zealand, 1/30 Conical Hill Road
Fudge is one of those things that seems to fit perfectly with a relaxing holiday - it's truly something to indulge in. this shop draws people from all over who enjoy a great quality fudge product made without palm oil (cocoa butter is used instead). As well as their more traditional recipes, Flavours of NZ have also developed a new range that is dairy, sugar, gluten and soy free. It is made from 100% dark chocolate and coconut cream sweetened with stevia. So if you prefer your indulgent treats to be low carb and as healthy as possible, this is the perfect place to visit!
As time evolved, so did the shop, adding to the range of goodies available with NZ made chocolates, old fashioned lollies and other gourmet food products. Within a year of opening, the owners doubled the floor space in the shop and added a range of giftware and women’s accessories including scarves, handbags and jewellery.
Ula, Shop 2, 30 Conical Hill Road
Specialising in clothing, jewellery and gifts, Ula has an eclectic range of products for sale. You might recognise the name from their popular shops in other South Island tourist destinations including Akaroa, Kaikoura and Alexandra.
There is plenty of ethnic flair in their range and the perfect clothing to suit a freewheeling summer holiday. The business is family owned and the owners directly import, & handpick all products and garments sold in the stores, alongside their own distinctive 'Ula brand' ranges. They have a hand in the design of much of the stock and customers say they love the flair, originality, the great use of fabrics, prints and sense of colour.
Tait Gallery, Clarence Lane, 34 Conical Hill Road
Tait Gallery is a diverse and intimate gallery in the heart of Hanmer where modern works can be viewed in a relaxed and friendly environment. The gallery prides itself on supporting and promoting artists from Canterbury and New Zealand and features a continually changing display of works in multiple media including wood turning, jewellery and pottery.
The Tait Gallery is open from Thursday to Tuesday each week from 10.00am - 4.00pm and closed on Wednesdays.
Ben Reid Art, 6/10 Fraser Close, Hanmer Springs
Originally from Christchurch, Ben moved to Hanmer with his family to enable him to devote his energies full time to his art and printmaking business. He works from a home studio and also offers printmaking classes. Visitors are welcome to drop in to check out his work, but please call first to make sure he is available and not in the middle of a print edition! 027 656 0568.