Newspaper Article 1988 – Poppelwells to shut shop

Poppelwells to shut shop

By DOUG BANKS

Hastings retailing store Poppelwells is to close its Hastings branch next month.

Poppelwells, with 62 years in the trade, is the second largest menswear retailer to close this year.

Giorgi’s Apparel closed in January after 81 years trading.

Poppelwell’s manager, Michael Poppelwell, today blamed high interest rates and the general downturn in the retail trade in Hastings in the last two years for the closure.

He said the big national chain stores had placed pressure on trading for the last five to eight years.

When announcing his shop’s closure in January, Mr Bruce Giorgi also blamed the economic downturn of the past two years.

Eighteen months ago Poppelwells changed direction to specialise in fields of young men’s clothing such as sports gear.

Mr Poppelwell said that it was a case of too little too late.

“It worked to a point but we could not compete with the downturn.”

He said the downturn would be putting pressure on many other businesses in Hastings which, although wanting to be seen as outwardly positive, would admit things were hard.

Mr Poppelwell said it was very sad to be closing at a time when the store was beginning to see third generation patrons.

“The store is part of Hastings . . . I began work here when I left school in 1961.

Poppelwells also opened branches in Flaxmere and Havelock North but the Flaxmere branch closed 18 months’ ago.

The Poppelwell name will continue with the Havelock North shop, which he said was thriving.

“The same can be said for the whole village.”

Mr Harry Poppelwell opened the first Poppelwells store in 1926 after stints with his future competitors, Roach’s, Blackmore’s and Giorgi’s.

He was honoured with an MBE in 1971 for many years in the promotion of hockey, swimming and lifesaving in Hawke’s Bay.

He founded Fantasyland and organised the Blossom Festival and the Highland Games.

His son David has carried on his work in lifesaving and is president of the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Association.