Norman Ferreira opened the doors of Ballantynes’ first store in Southland on Friday and he was grateful for the doors Ballantynes had opened for him along the way.
"I’m very honoured to head the first store in Southland.
"When the opportunity came up, I felt it was the right time and I jumped at the chance," he said.
Mr Ferreira is originally from South Africa and comes from a proud dairy farming family.
He started his career at Ballantynes’ flagship store in Christchurch, running the salon, then a few years later moved on to become customer service manager.
Moving back to Invercargill a year ago "was the right move" for him and it has paid off with his appointment by Ballantynes to lead its store.
"Ballantynes will bring a point of difference that the community has been looking for.
"It will be able to offer a curated selection of brands from various designers that are available," Mr Ferreira said.
The 170-year-old business has a rich history with Cantabrians; now customers in Invercargill will benefit from the "small but mighty" store.
- By Nina Tapu
