What’s your vision for Uptown and what are the most important issues for the area right now?

We recently updated the Uptown Business Association Strategic Plan and landed on a vision of “a thriving, accessible neighbourhood that embraces its heritage, diversity and creativity”.

We’re working through a transition period with the new Uptown/ Mangawhau train station that opens at the end of 2024. It’s a key focus for the Uptown Business Association because the area surrounding it will be sold for redevelopment. We want to ensure it serves our community with the right amenities and mix of housing and commercial development.

There are so many decision-makers who will shape the nature of our neighbourhood, including City Rail Link, Auckland Council, Eke Panuku, Kāinga Ora and Auckland Transport. The good news is they are listening to us. It’s really important that we’re active in shaping this area in Uptown. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it’s why I’m involved and encourage people running businesses and living in the area to get involved too.

Tell us about your Uptown business.

We are a family business and have owned The Corner Store, a cocktail and wine bar, since 2004 and established our cafe, twenty three, in 2009. We also have a boardroom that we rent upstairs for meetings. 

Both share a covered courtyard out the back that has hosted celebrations of all descriptions. We’ve had people who enjoyed their first date with us and who came back for their engagement parties and wedding celebrations. That’s super-lovely and pulls on your heartstrings.

We used to peer out the high windows from the back bar of The Corner Store into the overgrown patch of land next door and think, “this would make a great courtyard for The Corner Store”, so in 2009, we moved in next door and established twenty three. It was a mammoth task; we completely gutted the place and rebuilt it. We saw a need for fresh healthy food options that people in the area could take back to the office or escape from work, or dine in and relax in the courtyard.

Your building has some history?

It was built around 1880. To my knowledge, The Corner Store was initially an actual corner store, hence the old Sunlight soap advertisement on the side of the building. It has also been a bookstore, a cafe and a restaurant.

Over the years, many people have come through the doors and shared their memories and connections to the building. Twenty three was the first Real Groovy record store and it was an adult store when we took it over.