Project aims to facelift empty shopfronts

December 6th, 2013

A project is being set up to create relocatable shopfront displays that can be installed in the front few metres of High Street shops which are temporarily vacant.

The project will be a joint effort of the business promotion group Our Town Motueka and community development group Vision Motueka, and will build slowly over the next year.

Blank or painted-over shop fronts, of which there are currently about 10 in the central High Street area, tend to suggest a shrinkage of business activity for the town as a whole. But experience overseas shows that creative, funky and informative displays can attract attention in a positive way.

Project organisers say the overall objective is to make the CBD seem more lively, showcase creativity, allow community groups to display their work, and take attention away from unsightly vacant premises, especially those which are long-term empty.

OTM chairman Dave Moloney says the idea, although not a new one for MOtueka, has resurfaced recently and was worth looking at again. His organisation will be responsible for talking with building owners to work out if they are happy for their premises to be used in this way.

Timeframes - when and for how long the buildings will be empty - and access to set up, change and light displays will then be established, along with the types of displays that the owners want their buildings to be used for.

Vision Motueka will be responsible for enlisting community groups, schools, and other organisations who would like to create displays, and if necessary help them make it happen.

Vision Motueka's chairman David Armstrong says he has already received expressions of interest from five groups, and would be happy to hear from others. If you're interested, contact him at this email address: . Preference will be given for those with ideas for creative and colourful displays.

One building close to Celsius has already set up a beautiful little display with a Christmas theme. This was done independently two weeks ago, and is the type of thing which David says they would be pleased to see in other shops.

Displays would take up the first 2 to 3 metres from the window only, and be separated by some backing such as a curtain or partition. They have to be totally portable so that they can be moved to another building when a new business takes over a shop.

Two empty shops (shown below), between Vodafone and Damien O'Connor's offices, will be decorated before Christmas by the Rudolf Steiner School and the Crafty Tarts group. Organisers hope that others will be fitted out with displays through next year, depending on which buildings are available and which groups want to decorate them.

Comment by William Cleaver:
[Posted 7 December 2013]

I would hope that expressions of interest spread out to the tourist operators and other business. Advertising in this current market is a costly exercise and something that local business simply cant afford. I for one would love to showcase Motueka only Retro store, Roastery Cafe in a shop front window while its vacant.

Comment by Jim Butler:
[Posted 8 December 2013]

I do not wish to knock this project. It is a very good aim and I hope it gets implemented. But it is my belief that the centralising policies of Tasman District Council are largely responsible for there being so many empty shops in Motueka.

I estimate that about three quarters of wages of TDC staff are paid to staff based in Richmond. That is where all their highly paid senior staff are based. So it is in the Richmond/Nelson area that about about three quarters of TDC's wage bill is spent. But the money to pay these wages is collected from all round the Tasman District.

I estimate that between 5 and 10 million dollars gets taken from Motueka Ward ratepayers every year to be spent in the Richmond/Nelson area. If this 5 to 10 million dollars was spent locally, possibly half a dozen, or more, businesses would become viable and there would be less empty shops in Motueka.

>> , to be added to the page. [If this link doesn't work, use this form instead]

[ Return ]
[ Other news articles ]

We wish to thank these local community-minded businesses who generously sponsor our site. They recognise the value of supporting this community asset, and in return Motueka Online is pleased to use and recommend their services whenever appropriate.

Ray White Motueka, Motueka Floral Studio, Nelson Building Society, House of Travel,
Greenwood Active Health, Lynette Mytton,