After more than a decade building a loyal following in Raglan and online, local designer and boutique owner Gretti Hamilton is taking the leap – opening a second Artisan & Merchant store at Mount Maunganui.
With a commitment to high-quality, locally made fashion and a fiercely independent ethos, she’s bringing something fresh to the Bay. We caught up with her to talk about the big move, the evolution of her brand, and what it means for life, business, and everything in between.
You have recently made the decision to open a store at the Mount. Tell us about this plan.
Yes, it has been on the cards for a long time; I started to look at it about 4 years ago, but then the whole Covid thing happened, so I put the plans on hold… it feels like now is the right time to pursue it and grow my business.
Why do you think it will be a good fit for the Mount community?
I think it is a smart move for my business; the Mount is busier year-round, and I have a very established customer base over there already with my online store, so I think it’s the right place to open my next store. My Bay of Plenty customers have been harassing me to do it for a while now… so I thought why not? I think what my label will bring to the Mount is quite different from what any other stores are offering over there, so I hope it will be a nice alternative for the Mount locals and visitors, and something fresh and hopefully exciting for them.
What does that mean for your Raglan store?
My Raglan store will stay as it is, but obviously, I won’t be in there as often as I will be mostly in the Mount store to get things rolling over there… I will still be working in Raglan one day a week and my awesome staff will be covering the other days… so other than me not being so present, there won’t be any other changes.
What will life look like for you adding this into the mix?
Ummmm… a whole new level of crazy! haha. Obviously, it’s going to be a very hectic and busy time with lots of juggling and travelling back and forwards. But I thrive on being busy and I am so ready for a new challenge, so I am excited about this new direction. I have an awesome team in my Raglan store to keep things rolling nicely, so that will make it easier for me.
How have you navigated the last 5 years in business?
I think anyone in business at the moment would answer this the same way… it’s been a tough few years for sure. I’ve had to adapt and change the way I run things, be more present, more cautious, and think things through a lot more. But it’s been a good lesson to learn and my business has survived through this time, which has shown me I have a solid foundation and loyal following. This has given me the confidence to take this new direction. Sometimes you just have to take the leap and go for it!
What are you most proud of regarding the ethos of your business?
That’s a hard one for me to answer, as I never feel that I have done enough, but I guess what I’m most proud of is that I started my label on a bit of a whim… I put no thought into it at all really; I never sat down and went over numbers etc, to see if it was viable to have all my clothing made out of high-quality natural fabrics, made locally in the Waikato, and to keep the price point as low as possible. It could have been a disaster. But it has been more successful than I ever could have imagined… so I am really proud of that. Proud that I can show that you can have a successful label that is made in NZ and that isn’t insanely overpriced.
What is your vision for the brand and store moving forward ?
Oh, they change daily! haha. My brain never stops, and I am a very driven person, so I can never settle for how things are… I’m always thinking about how I can make things better, how I can grow my brand. My vision at the moment is to keep creating clothing that makes women feel good when they wear it, to perhaps open a third store in time… and then after that, who knows! I have just released my own sunglasses and belts range and am working on some footwear designs… so I guess at the moment, the focus is on getting the Mount store up and running and expanding my brand, Honest John, to be more comprehensive… not just clothing and jewellery but adding more accessories and footwear into the mix… we’ll see!
