Book on longest-running rural store launched

It was standing room only in the Oturehua Hall on Sunday as the book recording the story of how New Zealand’s longest-running country store and its community have supported each other for nearly 125 years was officially launched.

Many descendants of Thomas Gilchrist and his sons were there to share their memories of working the shop and the 1948 Chevrolet truck used for deliveries from 1948-79 was parked outside.

Helen Napier, nee Gilchrist, recalled fun times working in the shop with extended family. From the particular way to sweep the shop — sweep, sweep, tap to avoid getting dust all over the shop — to Christmas displays in halls around the Maniototo, to taking saveloys and lollies to the ice at weekends in winter, where the Gilchrists kept skaters fed and hired out skates, she recalled strong family ties.

The Gilchrists kept many families in the area fed during difficult times. She recalled times when the brothers working in the shop took home groceries but no salary at the end of the week.

When cleaning out the safe they found a promissory note for £200 from July 1930, she said.

"I looked it up on Google — it’s worth $25,000, so I will be coming around some of the descendants later," she said to laughter.

The community repaid the Gilchrists’ kindness by buying the store from them in later years.

Celebrating the launch of the book 'Thomas Gilchrist and Sons Limited of the Maniototo', which traces the history of the Oturehua store run by their family for eight decades, are (back from left) Dot Gilchrist, Charles Noone, Jessica Noone, Andrew Noone, Lyndsay Gilchrist, Sue Sleeman, Russell Gilchrist, (front from left) Tony Gilchrist, Naomi Gilchrist, Ken Gilchrist, Helen Napier, Angela Young and Rebecca Gilchrist. PHOTO: JULIE ASHER

Present day Gilchrist Store business owner John Hellier said of the past four shop owners it had been the husbands who had instigated the move.

"The wives’ responses, in no particular order, were ‘where is Oturehua?’, ‘why the hell would we want to go there?’ and ‘it’s too cold’."

However, the community made it worthwhile and the store would not survive without them, he said.

The old Gilchrist delivery truck had no deck on it the day before the book launch. As happens in that community, local man Peter Shaw had found a suitable replacement and made sure it was ready for the big day.

The book was "a triumph", Mr Hellier said.

Getting the book published and distributed was testament to the community spirit that still ran deep in the district.