Fruit, vege and family

For 100 years the Patels have been selling fresh fruit and vegetables to customers in Dannevirke and beyond while also establishing themselves as a family with deep community roots and a reputation for community service.

Shires is a colourful fruit and vegetable store, its produce gaily displayed out onto the footpath. It sits centre stage in Dannevirke’s shopping precinct on busy SH2, which stretches north into Hawke’s Bay or south to Wairarapa or Manawatu. The shop is in the perfect position to access produce from either direction. The distinctive Shires truck is a familiar sight on the road.

| Peter, Suresh and Nanya Patel continue a heritage that goes back three generations – 100 years of a family business.

“Shires have always aimed to offer the freshest produce possible and this we do by visiting the markets directly. We have a wonderful rapport with all our suppliers, with some knowing what our regular customers want and they’ll source especially for us,” says coowner operator Suresh Patel. Take Nick Hill, who runs a picture framing business in Dannevirke. He has a penchant for tamarillos. A longstanding Shires customer, he’s kept in the loop on when the tamarillos are at their best and good value. “Staff go that extra mile for you,” Nick says. “It’s a mates’ arrangement that I highly value.” Nearby, Helen Exeter runs a gifts and souvenir shop. “Shires is the backbone of Dannevirke. The Patels are such good people, always with a smile. And Suresh is the JP everyone goes to.” Suresh is committed in discharging his Justice of the Peace service, just as he is with all his community and business dealings. In that he follows a heritage that goes back three generations – 100 years of a family business lauded by locals for its commitment to the community. Whenever there was an event or a cause needing support, you can bet Shires will have been in the middle of it. Farmlands’ connection with the Patels goes back nearly 50 years to when Shires signed on as a Card Partner. Brent Fell, now Business Manager at Farmlands Feilding, has had a long association with Dannevirke, its Farmlands store and Suresh and Peter. “I have had the pleasure of dealing with Shires over the last 45 years on both a personal and business basis,” he says. “Suresh and Peter run a very successful business with their family. They have strong community ties within the Dannevirke and extended Tararua area. Suresh, Peter and the business as a whole do a huge amount for the community.” In 1917, Chhiba Pancha Patel left Navsari in north-west India heading for Fiji. Somehow he ended up in New Zealand and by chance stopped off in Dannevirke when on a train trip looking for premises for a fruit and vegetable store. Chhiba was young, enterprising and intelligent – he had been a teacher back in India. He learned of premises available in Dannevirke (opposite the Post Office) and set up shop. He didn’t stop with Dannevirke. Chhiba was keen to assist others from India to come to New Zealand and this he did by financing them into their own businesses. Sensing racial prejudice,

BRICKS AND MORTAR

Shires operated from its original site in Dannevirke until 1968 when it moved along the road to today’s central location. It was an attractive building with an imposing edifice – ‘Shires C.P. Patel & Son’ – etched into the stone. In 1990 two strong earthquakes caused major damage in Dannevirke and the Shires building frontage and top floor had to be demolished. Shires relocated while rebuilding occurred. What resulted is today’s colourful modern building painted in the cheerful orange, red and green colours of the former NZ Fruit and Vegetable Publicity Council.

| Chhiba Patel in 1959 in the original store.

Chhiba changed his name to Bill Shire and by the early 1920s Shires fruit and vegetable stores popped up in Wairoa, Waipawa, Taihape, Te Kuiti, Masterton, Pahiatua and Levin. Today the Dannevirke store is the sole remaining example of Chhiba’s entrepreneurial exercise, with the last of the other stores closing in Taihape. During visits back to India, Chhiba married Hanshi and they had four children, including Chunilal, the eldest son, who stayed in India with his mother and siblings. They visited New Zealand over the years and in 1944 Hanshi and the children made the move to settle in Dannevirke with Chhiba. Chunilal became affectionately known as Chuni. He was much loved and respected by the Dannevirke community. Slightly built, Chuni suffered polio as a young man and so walked with a slight limp. Having grown up among the fruit and vegetables, he was well ensconced as the owner-operator of Shires by 1977, when his father Chhiba died. Chuni had married Shanti and they had six sons and three daughters together in Dannevirke. Just like their father, Peter (eldest son of twins) and Suresh (second to youngest) grew up in and around Shires. The brothers took over management in the mid 1980s. Suresh sources and buys the produce as well as overseeing the running of the business. “It’s an inherent knowledge you gain from years of being around fruit and vegetables,” they say. “Eating trends come and go but quality fresh produce is always in demand and you need to know what you’re looking for. Broccoli is the number one popular vegetable at present, so are salad ingredients. Stonefruit from Hawke’s Bay and bananas are always enjoyed.” While most food comes from neighbouring regions, there’s also summer supplies like watermelon from Te Puke and the much-loved cherries from the South Island. Peter works on the shop floor, carefully stocking up shelves and ensuring goods are well displayed. He has a keen eye and thrives on the hard physical work, living by the teachings of his grandfather – “Always offer top quality and the customer is always right.” Peter’s personal mantra is ‘Pride and Passion’, explaining that the customers are what make him proud. The in-store family team is complete with Nanya Patel, who came to Dannevirke at age 20 after marrying Suresh. “I left my parents and brothers in India but immediately gained another family in Dannevirke. The people were so welcoming I’ve always felt at home here,” says Nanya. She and Suresh have raised two children, Sanjay and Monika in Dannevirke. Both are now successful in their own careers. Peter has a son Melesh, raised in Dannevirke and now living in Auckland. When asked if it’s near the end of the line for the dynasty in the fruit and vegetable trade, they all shrug and point out they’re not going anywhere soon. Two other brothers who live nearby and regularly help are Mahesh and Arvind. The Patels are supported by a small and loyal team, some of whom have worked for many years at Shires. There are the two Karens, Jo, schoolboy Craig and various other part-timers and family members who support the business through the busy times.

The story of Shires is one of family and community. Hard work and long hours have punctuated the business from the beginning, alongside a desire to help others and to support the community that the family adopted in the 1920s. Suresh and Peter recall when growing up that their sisters would use the school lunch break to look after the shop so their parents could have their own lunch. Suresh remembers his own children sleeping in cots in the office. When Peter’s son comes visiting from Auckland, he will naturally don an apron and lend a hand – it is all encompassing and in the blood. In 2021, Suresh was presented with a Queen's Service Medal for his services to sport and community. It’s now framed and on the office wall but for a long while the photo of him with the Governor General laid about in the piles of paper. Humility had a lot to do with it – and there was also not much spare time to think about framing. Suresh explains his typical week. In one day visiting a market he can often negotiate with a dozen or more salespeople, building a great rapport and friendship. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday he is often at the Palmerston North markets, with 4.30am starts those days. Tuesdays he’s in Hawke’s Bay. Fridays are “gathering the wits” day before the onslaught of the weekend. “Saturdays have become one of our busiest. We try to rest on Sunday but there’s always a few hours where we need to clean up and prepare for the week.” It’s full-on, not for the faint hearted. A point of difference for Shires is its bottling produce – beetroot, pears, tomatoes, gherkins, plums, peaches – which attracts buyers from everywhere when in season. While they all work hard, they also play hard. Well known for their sense of humour. much singing and laughter can be heard coming from the back of Shires and they are known as great hosts at events. Any person feeling a bit down can be assured of an emotional pick-up when visiting Shires.

Writer: Marlene Ditchfield

| Today's store was built after earthquakes in Dannevirke in 1990.

ECHO OF SERVICE

COVID-19 has been the latest challenge for Shires. In the first 2020 lockdown, when the Patels were forced to empty their store down to the last carrot, they thought instantly of their customers. Setting up in the rear of the store, they sourced produce and made up fruit and vegetable boxes – up to 600 were often delivered in a day. Suresh, Peter and Nanya are proud they were able to do this. Over the years, loyal customers have written to Shires remembering the kindness of Chhiba Patel, especially recalling how their grandfather handed out food during the 1930s depression. The service continues.