At the entrance to Waikanae Beach on the Kapiti Coast, you can’t miss Hendrix Home & Lifestyle Store. On a site where a car garage once stood, the shop catches the eyes of passersby, with a bright red, scalloped pergola extending out to the street and often beach umbrellas set up ahead of the front door.
Inside, the store stocks all sorts of furniture, homewares and apparel, with brands including Frank Green, P.E Nation and Bonnie & Neil. It’s hard not to be tempted by their range of colourful, coastal pieces you’re bound to treasure.
Behind the scenes, Waiheke locals Raffaella Cesca and Bevan Duffy have just taken ownership of the business. We spoke to them about what’s next for Hendrix.
What inspired you to take over Hendrix, and how do your backgrounds contribute to your vision for the shop?
Raffaella: Growing up, I was surrounded by art, design and beautiful fabrics, perhaps from my Italian and French heritage. This drew me to upholstery and I eventually started my own upholstery business (Abbiamo Upholstery). With my love for all things fabric and homewares, it’s been a natural progression to buy Hendrix and continue to curate and sell beautiful, high-quality products.
Bevan: I’m from a farming family, so art and design weren’t a major part of my upbringing. However, I’ve worked in sales in New Zealand and overseas, so this aspect is a natural fit for Hendrix’s customer-facing and business side. I love to help Raff wherever I can.
Raffaella, as a local upholsterer, do you see this business and Hendrix combining somehow?
Raffaella: Absolutely. Upholstery has always been more than a job for me. I love transforming ordinary or aging furniture into extraordinary pieces and working with different fabrics, textures and patterns, seeing a project come together. It’s about taking a piece and breathing new life into it, giving it a chance to shine.
Having Abbiamo Upholstery at Waikanae Beach has allowed me to connect with locals on a personal level. I’ve had the privilege of helping clients create spaces that reflect their unique style and personality. It has been a rewarding experience and I’m incredibly grateful.
Hendrix has become part of the Waikanae Beach DNA. How long have you lived here and what are your favourite aspects of this part of the country?
Raffaella and Bevan: We moved to Waikanae in late 2017 and instantly fell in love with it. We didn’t really know anyone but everyone made us feel welcome and part of the community. What’s not to love about Waikanae Beach? It’s full of great people and cafes, a beautiful beach, unspoilt natural beauty, not to mention great fishing and spearfishing. To us, it’s perfect.
Pearl and Cruz, Hendrix Store’s previous owners, were incredible starting the store. The building stands at the entrance to Waikanae Beach, a site that was previously a garage servicing the locals since the 1940s. It’s a great location, and we can now carry on the tradition of serving the town by providing gorgeous products and services to the locals, visitors and online customers.
You speak of the ethics and sustainability of the products you sell and buying pieces to love and treasure for years. Why is this important to you?
Raffaella: We recognise how fortunate we are to live in a beautiful part of the world, and want to do our part to protect our natural environment. Where possible, we are very considerate of the products we source, ensuring the brands actively uphold human rights, safe working conditions and strong business ethics.
And finally, what is your favourite product you have in store?
Raffaella and Bevan: We can’t pick a favourite product! We just have to pick the whole store. For us, every time we walk through the door, we are in awe.
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