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Hazelwoods
History
HistoryAccording to an August 20, 1997 article, James A (Jimmy) Hazelwood came to Upper Hutt in 1891 and set up a fruit shop in a converted cottage. The company was founded in 1893, when it occupied a single-storey building on Main Road. It started as a grocery, and later added a drapery, and then footwear; an in-store bakery was added at the turn of the century. By the time the article was written, the company's only business was furniture.
His second building was wooden, and two-storeyed, built in 1898, near the east side of the Provincial Hotel. The third building, in brick, adjoined the second, and was built in 1906(?); it was the first to have a veranda over the footpath. A fourth building was added around 1912, and parts of the original facade were still visible in 2013.
The second building was bought by Benge and Pratt, and can be seen with an added veranda in a 1912 picture; late at night in March 1914 the store caught fire, and exploded while people were trying to rescue goods; six men died outright, and two more later. The third Hazelwood building was burnt out, but its walls stood; the fourth still survives.
Many family members were involved in the running of the store; May Poulson (nee Ethel May Hazelwood) gave the library a collection which includes many staff groups, generally fully identified, from the period up to her marriage in 1927.
T. N. Gibbs, from Christchurch bought the company in 1944. His son Colin became assistant manager of Hazelwoods in 1954, and took over as manager in 1956. Under his management Hazelwoods was expanded and developed into a major department store. In 1964/5 additions to the building were built, including a mezzanine floor. At this time a coffee lounge and travel and sports departments were established. In a 1966 survey, Hazelwoods was described as a "departmental store" and the "chief products" were listed as "home appliances, hardware, furniture, men's wear, mantles, ladies and men's footwear, cosmetics, cccessories, Manchester, haberdashery, grocery, kitchenware, babywear, college wear, travel, china." (Reference: Upper Hutt City Library A26/1 E. - Survey material from Upper Hutt College research project into industrial development, 1966.)
Retailing initiatives during these years included "Women's Day" promotions when the women on Hazelwoods staff "took over" store management for the last Friday in June, with accompanying specials.
The grocery department closed in February 1967.
One prominent employee; Len Rink, of Silverstream, who reached his 24th Christmas as Santa Claus in 1970; he also performed at Quinn's Post Christmas parties.
The October 17, 1973 'Leader' announced that the Queen Street bakehouse, one of Upper Hutt's oldest buildings, was to be demolished. It had closed in 1956, and was thought to have supplied Trentham Camp during World War 1. It would be replaced by a single-storey extension with rooftop car parking west of the former F V Evans engineering building, which Hazelwoods were using. Changes announced would increase floor area from 32 230 to 72 730 square feet; 'almost double the previous size'. A 1974 announcement said the expansion was in anticipation of a pedestrian-only precinct in the centre of Main Street, an extension with a roof-top carpark was built, reaching Queen Street.
Hazelwoods joined the Toyworld nationwide buying group in August 1979. A No Frills Food Barn opened opened in one-third of the former F V Evans building in Queen Street in October 1980, and was joined by a new hardware, sports goods and kitchen centre in September 1981; a Camera House branch moved into the store at the same time. Later in the 1980s, in a move towards greater specialisation, several departments were sold, and operated on the premises: a No Frills Barn opened in April 1981; Menswear was bought by Warnocks in July 1983; Ladieswear was bought by Ballentynes in 1985; Travel-Variety was bought by Thomas Cook; Hardware was bought by Stewarts Hardware in 2000. The stock of the furniture department and Fisher and Paykel franchise were bought by Colin Gibbs's son Michael Gibbs in February 1984; he leased premises in the building as Hazelwoods Home Traders, which later became Hazelwoods Furniture Court. Whitcoulls (books and stationery) moved in in December 1985.
In the November 1 2002 'Leader' Hazelwoods announced that they had bought a Masterton building, and intended to open their third out-of-Upper-Hutt branch there in march or April.
Hazelwoods ceased trading in 2009. The building group was eventually subdivided, with Smiths City (furniture and appliances) and a video rental company on Queen Street, the Department of Defence on Main Street, and the Ascot Cinema on top; Smiths City closed in (2012?) and the cinema closed in (2013?).
The June 21, 2017 'Leader' announced that the Department of Defence would leave after six years; Ganson Group would gut and rebuild the building for retail.
His second building was wooden, and two-storeyed, built in 1898, near the east side of the Provincial Hotel. The third building, in brick, adjoined the second, and was built in 1906(?); it was the first to have a veranda over the footpath. A fourth building was added around 1912, and parts of the original facade were still visible in 2013.
The second building was bought by Benge and Pratt, and can be seen with an added veranda in a 1912 picture; late at night in March 1914 the store caught fire, and exploded while people were trying to rescue goods; six men died outright, and two more later. The third Hazelwood building was burnt out, but its walls stood; the fourth still survives.
Many family members were involved in the running of the store; May Poulson (nee Ethel May Hazelwood) gave the library a collection which includes many staff groups, generally fully identified, from the period up to her marriage in 1927.
T. N. Gibbs, from Christchurch bought the company in 1944. His son Colin became assistant manager of Hazelwoods in 1954, and took over as manager in 1956. Under his management Hazelwoods was expanded and developed into a major department store. In 1964/5 additions to the building were built, including a mezzanine floor. At this time a coffee lounge and travel and sports departments were established. In a 1966 survey, Hazelwoods was described as a "departmental store" and the "chief products" were listed as "home appliances, hardware, furniture, men's wear, mantles, ladies and men's footwear, cosmetics, cccessories, Manchester, haberdashery, grocery, kitchenware, babywear, college wear, travel, china." (Reference: Upper Hutt City Library A26/1 E. - Survey material from Upper Hutt College research project into industrial development, 1966.)
Retailing initiatives during these years included "Women's Day" promotions when the women on Hazelwoods staff "took over" store management for the last Friday in June, with accompanying specials.
The grocery department closed in February 1967.
One prominent employee; Len Rink, of Silverstream, who reached his 24th Christmas as Santa Claus in 1970; he also performed at Quinn's Post Christmas parties.
The October 17, 1973 'Leader' announced that the Queen Street bakehouse, one of Upper Hutt's oldest buildings, was to be demolished. It had closed in 1956, and was thought to have supplied Trentham Camp during World War 1. It would be replaced by a single-storey extension with rooftop car parking west of the former F V Evans engineering building, which Hazelwoods were using. Changes announced would increase floor area from 32 230 to 72 730 square feet; 'almost double the previous size'. A 1974 announcement said the expansion was in anticipation of a pedestrian-only precinct in the centre of Main Street, an extension with a roof-top carpark was built, reaching Queen Street.
Hazelwoods joined the Toyworld nationwide buying group in August 1979. A No Frills Food Barn opened opened in one-third of the former F V Evans building in Queen Street in October 1980, and was joined by a new hardware, sports goods and kitchen centre in September 1981; a Camera House branch moved into the store at the same time. Later in the 1980s, in a move towards greater specialisation, several departments were sold, and operated on the premises: a No Frills Barn opened in April 1981; Menswear was bought by Warnocks in July 1983; Ladieswear was bought by Ballentynes in 1985; Travel-Variety was bought by Thomas Cook; Hardware was bought by Stewarts Hardware in 2000. The stock of the furniture department and Fisher and Paykel franchise were bought by Colin Gibbs's son Michael Gibbs in February 1984; he leased premises in the building as Hazelwoods Home Traders, which later became Hazelwoods Furniture Court. Whitcoulls (books and stationery) moved in in December 1985.
In the November 1 2002 'Leader' Hazelwoods announced that they had bought a Masterton building, and intended to open their third out-of-Upper-Hutt branch there in march or April.
Hazelwoods ceased trading in 2009. The building group was eventually subdivided, with Smiths City (furniture and appliances) and a video rental company on Queen Street, the Department of Defence on Main Street, and the Ascot Cinema on top; Smiths City closed in (2012?) and the cinema closed in (2013?).
The June 21, 2017 'Leader' announced that the Department of Defence would leave after six years; Ganson Group would gut and rebuild the building for retail.
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Geotag[1] The 1912 building[2] Ascot CinemaFunctionStore, with range of products rising to many departments, and then declining
[2] Ascot CinemaFunctionStore, with range of products rising to many departments, and then decliningAlso known as
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Hazelwoods. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 17/12/2025, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/14943