Wairarapa Lifestyle
Chambers of good taste
Julie Saunders was once headhunted by Gucci and Armani. She now owns a thriving Greytown business on the town’s strip of style. By Julia Mahony.
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he story of Julie’s life spins from a variety of businesses around New Zealand, to whirlwind trips to Italy while working for top designers in Australia. Her choices reflect stand-out clothing trends of the 1980s and 90s but right now, Julie is buzzing about furniture. At her shop, Chambers on Main, she sells stylish pre-owned furniture and accessories, while aiming to keep prices affordable. She specialises in reupholstering sofas and armchairs, from the plain to the quirky -- a “ghastly’’ retro green vinyl sofa which Julie re-covered in Marilyn Monroe fabric was bought by the director of the World of Wearable Arts. Julie and her husband and business partner of 40 years, Merv Saunders, bought the former borough council chambers building on Main St almost three years ago. They renovated it and now live upstairs in a sun-filled apartment just as lavishly furnished as the shop below. The Saunders had not set foot in the Wairarapa until their daughter was married in Greytown in 2006. Julie’s sister, Sally Rayner, moved to the town first, selling china and collectables. Julie and Merv followed six months later, Julie securing a job as buyer/ manager at clothing store Veranda, then as general manager for interior designer Michael Nalder. It was Sally who encouraged Julie to strike out on her own. Sally’s recent passing has deepened her resolve to be successful. Julie grew up in Auckland and as a young secretary was a top New Zealand speed typist, winning national competitions. With Merv and two children, she began her business career with a motel in Northland’s Cable Bay but the couple soon craved city life, buying a perfumery in Auckland’s Parnell in the 1980s. Julie moved on to fashion, managing a Jag clothing store before being approached by designer Keith Matheson. She was national sales manager for his five New Zealand stores before trying her hand at her other passion, real estate. 18 - Wairarapa Lifestyle Magazine SPRING 2012 Issue #27
The Saunders’ next move was to the South Island, where they bought and managed a rest home, before the pull of fashion led to the purchase of two Thornton Hall shops. Keith Matheson came calling again for Julie to be his general manager in Australia and it wasn’t long before Gucci snapped her up as a buyer, followed by Giorgio Armani. Meanwhile, Merv facilitated the operation of some of Sydney’s biggest high rise buildings. The family wedding in Greytown convinced the couple to move here. After renovating two Greytown houses, they were sitting in the window of Cahoots café one day and noticed the old council building across the road. Julie commented to Merv it was a pity a heritage listed building had been let go and after approaching its owners, the purchase and extensive makeover followed. The building had several ground floor tenants but Julie tentatively put some of their own furniture for sale in one room and it “flew out the door’’. As the tenants’ leases expired she expanded into every room. n an effort to entice people in off the street, Merv wheels a largerthan-life statue of Marilyn Monroe around to the storefront each day. “We were offered $3,500 for her on day one but she’s not for sale,’’ Julie says. “She’s an eye-catcher.’’ It’s clear that Julie has a great eye and her enthusiasm for her business is infectious. Chambers on Main allows her to “feed all her passions’’, which includes sourcing, buying and selling quality one-off pieces without the hefty price tag. As she sat talking to Wairarapa Lifestyle, a tradesman outside on her rooftop patio was busily measuring a plain wall for sheets of mirror glass to reflect the northern view – another of the Saunders’ quirky ideas. Julie says she’s proud to belong to the group of women who own and run most of the retail shops along Greytown’s Main St. After a life of cities, she and Merv have found a town that fits.
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Julie Saunders was once headhunted by Gucci and Armani. She now owns a thriving Greytown business on the town’s strip of style. By Julia Mahony.
T
he story of Julie’s life spins from a variety of businesses around New Zealand, to whirlwind trips to Italy while working for top designers in Australia. Her choices reflect stand-out clothing trends of the 1980s and 90s but right now, Julie is buzzing about furniture. At her shop, Chambers on Main, she sells stylish pre-owned furniture and accessories, while aiming to keep prices affordable. She specialises in reupholstering sofas and armchairs, from the plain to the quirky -- a “ghastly’’ retro green vinyl sofa which Julie re-covered in Marilyn Monroe fabric was bought by the director of the World of Wearable Arts. Julie and her husband and business partner of 40 years, Merv Saunders, bought the former borough council chambers building on Main St almost three years ago. They renovated it and now live upstairs in a sun-filled apartment just as lavishly furnished as the shop below. The Saunders had not set foot in the Wairarapa until their daughter was married in Greytown in 2006. Julie’s sister, Sally Rayner, moved to the town first, selling china and collectables. Julie and Merv followed six months later, Julie securing a job as buyer/ manager at clothing store Veranda, then as general manager for interior designer Michael Nalder. It was Sally who encouraged Julie to strike out on her own. Sally’s recent passing has deepened her resolve to be successful. Julie grew up in Auckland and as a young secretary was a top New Zealand speed typist, winning national competitions. With Merv and two children, she began her business career with a motel in Northland’s Cable Bay but the couple soon craved city life, buying a perfumery in Auckland’s Parnell in the 1980s. Julie moved on to fashion, managing a Jag clothing store before being approached by designer Keith Matheson. She was national sales manager for his five New Zealand stores before trying her hand at her other passion, real estate. 18 - Wairarapa Lifestyle Magazine SPRING 2012 Issue #27
The Saunders’ next move was to the South Island, where they bought and managed a rest home, before the pull of fashion led to the purchase of two Thornton Hall shops. Keith Matheson came calling again for Julie to be his general manager in Australia and it wasn’t long before Gucci snapped her up as a buyer, followed by Giorgio Armani. Meanwhile, Merv facilitated the operation of some of Sydney’s biggest high rise buildings. The family wedding in Greytown convinced the couple to move here. After renovating two Greytown houses, they were sitting in the window of Cahoots café one day and noticed the old council building across the road. Julie commented to Merv it was a pity a heritage listed building had been let go and after approaching its owners, the purchase and extensive makeover followed. The building had several ground floor tenants but Julie tentatively put some of their own furniture for sale in one room and it “flew out the door’’. As the tenants’ leases expired she expanded into every room. n an effort to entice people in off the street, Merv wheels a largerthan-life statue of Marilyn Monroe around to the storefront each day. “We were offered $3,500 for her on day one but she’s not for sale,’’ Julie says. “She’s an eye-catcher.’’ It’s clear that Julie has a great eye and her enthusiasm for her business is infectious. Chambers on Main allows her to “feed all her passions’’, which includes sourcing, buying and selling quality one-off pieces without the hefty price tag. As she sat talking to Wairarapa Lifestyle, a tradesman outside on her rooftop patio was busily measuring a plain wall for sheets of mirror glass to reflect the northern view – another of the Saunders’ quirky ideas. Julie says she’s proud to belong to the group of women who own and run most of the retail shops along Greytown’s Main St. After a life of cities, she and Merv have found a town that fits.
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