The owners, Kaylan and Charitha Reddy, started their new role at the hotel earlier this month.
The pair moved from Te Aroha, a town in Waikato, to Riversdale at the beginning of June.
Mr Reddy said owning an establishment like the Riversdale Hotel had always been a goal.
"The people in [Te Aroha] were really lovely.
"That’s the reason I wanted to buy a small pub so that there would be no stress. Especially no fights in the pub."
He loved the community vibe the town offered.
"Hopefully in this community we can have a long chapter."
He believed it was important to know all of the customers’ names.
"When you’re in the city and big towns you don’t know your neighbours. But in the small communities we can get to know each and everyone.
"It’s really lovely to be here."
After a week of operating the pub he commented that it had been going "really good" and said that they had plans to make it a more lively experience for customers.
Improvements to the food would be one change.
"I want people to walk in and get good food and good drinks."
He planned to take advantage of the location in the countryside and focus on "simple country food".
Meals such as steak, fish, lamb shanks and ribs were among those he wanted to focus on.
"We want to plan to put one or two Indian curries on the menu."
Music performances in the summer were another potential future change.
"June and July are quiet nights because of winter, so I want to do it in the summer."
He had worked eight years in the food industry while Mrs Reddy had been a pharmacist before the move down south.
Bob and Christine Oliver were the previous owners and had been so for over nine years.
Mrs Reddy said the pair had been training them during the handover.
"We are so lucky to have that. They’re sharing their experience with us."
The hotel would be her primary focus while in Riversdale.
She had also loved what the community had to offer so far.
"It is cold but other than that everyone is so lovely.
