It's all a changing canvas, says Olivers owner David Ritchie, indicating the finishing work taking place to launch three separate ventures in the complex next month.
After six months of construction work, the picture changes daily as Olivers Restaurant, The Victoria Store Brewery and the Merchant of Clyde cafe/bakery/delicatessen take shape.
All three businesses will run independently and are expected to open in late March.
The redevelopment of the Heritage New Zealand Category 1-listed group of historic buildings in the middle of Clyde has been challenging at times, Mr Ritchie admitted.
''It's been a juggle at times, keeping as much of the original as we can and renovating it but still having a building that flows properly, to work in. When we first bought it we knew all that though, and wanted to protect what was here.''
He and his wife, Andrea, bought the complex in February 2010 and were the sixth owners in 12 years.
The complex includes eight stone buildings, including Benjamin Naylor's store, his house, a former bakery, smokehouse and other outbuildings.
Mr Naylor was one of the first storekeepers in Clyde, serving the gold miners in the 1860s.
Mr Ritchie declined to reveal how much the couple had spent on the major redevelopment and on strengthening the complex.
''I think that's commercially sensitive ... I've heard a few rumours about how much we've spent though, and it's not as much as that figure, thankfully.''
They expect to employ a total of about 30 people in the three ventures and some of the main roles have already been decided.
Former Alexandra man Grant Radka will be the head brewer and beer will be brewed under the Victoria Store label, starting with a pilsner lager and then adding other beer to the range.
The store operated for about a century, out of the site where the new brewery is located.
The restaurant's executive chef will be Michael Coughlin, who started a restaurant called Stepping Out, in Alexandra, before moving on to Bell Pepper Blues and later Pier 24, in Dunedin.
The redevelopment had caused '' a bit of a buzz'' in Clyde and many visitors as well as locals, had asked when the various businesses would open, he said.
The woman behind the first Olivers restaurant says the revival of the facility, and renovation and strengthening of the complex buildings is a ''dream come true''.
Fleur Sullivan realised the potential of the buildings and established the restaurant more than 30 years ago, spending 20 years as host.
She moved to Moeraki in the late 1990s and later set up a restaurant called Fleurs Place. Ms Sullivan is delighted Olivers is back in business.
''In fact, it's a dream come true for me. I saved the buildings and found a practical use for them, to breathe new life into them. David and Andrea have gone even further and restored and strengthened the buildings so they'll stand forever.''
