In a first for the city centre, and possibly New Zealand, a new concept store is opening in Tauranga’s CBD where the public can see vegan, natural body care products being produced and purchase sustainability-driven personal care products. The brainchild of entrepreneurs Callum Armstrong and Jess Elliot, The Boho Store aims to drive demand for native plant extracts and help landowners plant more forests.
“We care about the planet and the communities of people that live within it,” says Callum. “We also love turning our creative spark to crafting unique products that enrich our daily lives. These are the main driving forces behind our new Boho HQ retail and factory concept store now open in Devonport Road, Downtown Tauranga.”
Callum says the concept store will showcase New Zealand products.
“Alongside making our own products and providing them for wholesale to other brands and fundraisers, we will also be stocking more locally made crafts and products that fit within our store’s vibe. By shopping locally, you are not only supporting the community but also helping more great ideas come to life.”
Beautiful cold process soaps, scented candles, reed diffusers, body butter, bath bombs, lip balms, healing balms and body sprays will be on sale along with a refill station where customers can top up their natural hand/body wash and household cleaning spray.
“We also have a flagship display of Mānuka Essentials and Mānuka Sensations products, DoTerra essential oils, a crystals section where you can shop a wide range of ethically sourced crystals at affordable prices, house plants and natives for sale to deck out your home and reforest your backyard and Swedish-inspired art prints by Lagom Design Studio. Each print sold educates one child on plastic pollution and how to care for our environment.”
As the concept store evolves and grows The Boho Store plans to introduce more products, locally made crafts and other boho-inspired items.
“We are also going to be regularly hosting workshops to help educate people on how to make body care products in their own homes.”
The Boho Store is also available to help other brands and community groups to prosper.
“In our instore body care factory we can custom develop items and contract manufacture for other brands, and support community groups to run fundraisers with our products,” says Callum.
Callum says another purpose of The Boho Store is to help to foster the Bay of Plenty as a hub for sustainable enterprise.
“That’s where the workshops and private labelling/contract production fits into our concept store. It’s about helping others to succeed. How cool would it be if our region became a destination where the top talent comes to build tomorrows enterprises that care for the earth?”
With every order over $20 The Boho Store will donate $1 to The Reforestation Fund. Founded by Callum and his partner, Anna Wentsch, the fund is designed to help plant more native forests around Aotearoa and look after our biodiversity.
“Our mantra is ‘Connecting Conservation with Consumption’. We passionately care about the planet and the communities of people that live within it and through The Boho Store we hope to inspire increased demand for native plant extracts and encourage more landowners to plant forests.”
The Boho Store is opening as part of the Activate Vacant Spaces programme that has been running in the city centre.
“I spoke with Pascale and Emilie from Venture Center, who introduced me to Sally Cooke, the brains behind Activate Vacant Spaces,” says Callum. “We realized that there was a great opportunity to get into a retail space in Downtown Tauranga and we are really grateful for all the help Sally has provided in getting our dream off the ground.”
The Activate Vacant Spaces programme is delivered by Mainstreet Tauranga and matches vacant spaces in the Tauranga city centre with creative, cultural and start-up ventures. Spokesperson Sally Cooke says they’re delighted to have this latest addition to the programme of offerings:
“This was just too good an opportunity to miss. Having this new concept store in our city centre is a first for the region and an exciting addition to Downtown Tauranga. It is such a privilege to be able to support such an amazing new enterprise through the Activate Vacant Spaces programme, made possible because of the amazing support of the property owner who also saw the potential of this exciting new venture. The public are going to love The Boho Store and our city centre will certainly benefit from having Callum and Jess here.”
The Boho Store is located at the entrance to the Piccadilly Arcade, in the old Barkers Clothing building, 47 Devonport Road, Downtown Tauranga. For more details go to www.bohobodycare.nz. Read more about Activate Vacant Spaces here.
