The Country Cottage Cafe, which closed last year, reopened on Monday.
Ros and Sophie Rendall moved from Dunedin to Southland after buying the cafe in March.
‘‘We were both looking for something meaningful and interesting, something that we could work in together.
‘‘We saw it as an amazing opportunity to move back down here,’’ Ros said.
Ros was born and raised in Gore and attended St Peter’s College.
Sophie was born in Dunedin and had never lived in Southland until recently.
Seven weeks ago, the pair made the move from Dunedin and began renovating the cafe.
‘‘It looked like a place with a lot of potential and something we could really dig our feet into.’’
Most of what was needed to operate the cafe on a day-today basis was included in the purchase, she said.
However, they had also added their own personal touch, she said.
Operating the cafe together would be an ‘‘interesting’’ challenge but one that ‘‘somehow worked’’.
‘‘We definitely have different personalities and characters.
‘‘Some things Sophie is incredibly good at that I’m not very good at.
‘‘But it also goes the other way.’’
She had looked forward to the challenge of getting the shop open to the public. Located at 86 Main St, the cafe is adjacent to State Highway 1.
‘‘I think that’s exciting. ‘‘I really hope that will be something that people come and enjoy.’’ Initially it would be open from 8am to 3pm, from Monday to Friday.
‘‘Once spring comes along, we may open earlier, but just while we get used to it and while it’s still freezing, we’ll start at 8.
‘‘We’ve tried to make it nice and attractive.
‘‘It’s lovely when the sun comes in.’’
Mataura Community Board chairwoman Nicky Coats said it was ‘‘exciting to see another business open in town. ‘‘We’ll have a venue to have meetings and coffee.’’
Mataura attracted a lot of stock agents and farmers who often stopped for coffee, she said. ‘‘It’ll make a massive difference.’’ Throughout the cafe’s closure a coffee cart was often parked on the grass near the cafe to serve hot drinks.
