Since Michelle McLean moved to Ōamaru in 2020, she had to go out of town to buy her favourite Harney & Sons tea.

Now, with her new store The Gourmet Grocer, she has a vast selection at her disposal.

Michelle opened her food store at 4a Harbour Street - originally the Lane's Emulsion building, and more recently ice cream shop Deja Moo - last week.

“So the idea came from when I first moved down to Ōamaru for my job at Network Waitaki in November 2020, because I'm a foodie, and I couldn't get all my favourite foods and things like that . . . I thought it would be really great to have a food store here and the more people I got to know in the community you know, they would often travel outside the region to actually go and get the food that they love.”

She kept the idea percolating for a few years, before deciding now was the perfect time to take the plunge.

“I've always wanted to run a gourmet food store somewhere, and because I decided to settle in Oamaru, I thought, ‘oh, why not?’.”

Michelle wants to champion and offer products from Waitaki and New Zealand artisans, for both locals and tourists.

New Zealand produces such amazing food, she hopes people will take produce away with them and share it, to promote both the community and the country, she said.

While running a food store is a world away from her previous role in customer relations at Network Waitaki, Michelle comes from a background of hospitality, food retail and has also previously worked for a food manufacturer, and run successful businesses, she said.

“I'm just combining my experience with my passion for food, for good quality food, and bringing that to the community and just working in a different way now . . . So yeah, combining a very diverse range of skills.” 

Before Ōamaru, Michelle lived in Timaru near family, and before that she was all around the world, but she is happy to settle into regional New Zealand, and be part of a community.

“And a supportive community more than anything else. People have been so supportive, it's fantastic.”

She is excited to be part of the Victorian Precinct, which “lends itself” to the style of her business.

“I contacted the [Whitestone] Civic Trust and they have just been amazing, like, outstanding in their help and support, and, you know, working with me to create the business, but then also to get it up and running and particularly helping me with the finer details really.”

Trying to decide which products to stock has been “quite the journey”.

Michelle personally visited a number of her suppliers to see how they operate and their products are manufactured.

She is starting with the basics, but also offering an ordering service to get to know what her customers want and what the community is looking for.

“Customers can help build the store based on the products that they want . . . because a lot of people seem to travel outside the region looking for great products, so I kind of want to bring those great products to the community, fundamentally.” 

Michelle has a liquor licence pending, and when the fridges she has ordered arrive, is looking to extend her deli selections, and offer fresh salads and sandwiches, along with other treats, such as flavoured butters. 

She is also happy to make up gift hampers for any occasion, and help customers find the right products to give the “gift of food”.

“It can be as little or as much as you want . . . and we do cater for particular dietary requirements.”

She also stocks a number of “non-food” items, such as aprons, wooden egg holders and boxes, and produce bags.

An official opening was held last Wednesday night (October 4), with Waitaki Deputy Mayor Hana Halalele cutting the ribbon.

“There were just so many people here, it was fantastic. It was really nice to feel so supported, and you know, it was a great start,” Michelle said.

The Gourmet Grocer is open Wednesday to Sunday, 9.30am to about 4.30pm, to see how things go. With summer coming, Michelle expects to extend the hours and eventually hopes to be open seven days.

The Gourmet Grocer is officially opened last Wednesday night (October 4) by Waitaki Deputy Mayor Hana Halalele. PHOTO: Supplied