P&K FOUR SQUARE

Martinborough

Conor Kershaw, the owner of P&K Four Square Martinborough, and his family have been retailing in the grocery business for 125 years.

ou could say it’s in the blood,” said Kershaw.

The modern speed of the FMCG industry is what Kershaw enjoys, particularly now with the new fit-for-purpose P&K Four Square that the family has recently opened. The previous store needed to be made earthquake safe. However, the Kershaw family purchased three adjacent buildings, all of which were demolished to build the new Four Square, while the previous store building was earthquake-strengthened.

“We recently joined the two of them with my wife’s clothing business and a restaurant cafe under the same roof. It took eight years of planning and 29 months of construction to complete the project. Future-proofed for the community and the next generation of grocers now.”

The decision-making surrounding the design and layout of the new store revolved around putting the customer first. This is reflected in the store’s easy-to-navigate and open atmosphere. The family celebrate the old store’s heritage and has ensured that the old and new store are seamlessly tied together. With 900m2 of retail floor space, the P&K Four Square is one of New Zealand’s most prominent and aims to serve the community for years.

As a flagship, modern Four Square store, Kershaw said that Foodstuffs had done excellent work reinventing the Four Square brand. At the centre of the new store redesign was the goal to create a Four Square, which the community was proud of, that also reflected the history of the grocer within the Martinborough area.

Much of the timber used for the new store was sourced locally, with an old 1955 Morris Oxford Ute on display in the produce department to reflect the store’s heritage.

Butchery and produce are the two categories Kershaw said had the most growth and innovation opportunity. P&K Four Square has two full-time butchers and has doubled the size of its produce department, as the family has a high standard for the fresh produce it offers customers and has recognised that protein is a top category that significantly impacts a customer’s in-store experience.

With the recent re-design and modern features of the new P&K Four Square, Kershaw hopes that the store will still be fit for purpose in 30 years, allowing the next generation of grocers to continue to drive change for the Martinborough community, adding that he was most proud of how the family were able to exceed customer expectations with the store re-design. With the permanent population of Martinborough aging, P&K Four Square has developed a gold card Tuesday which means retired customers can stay in town to do their regular shopping.

Weekend customers are catered to with an extensive range of specialty cheeses, platter options, and local wines while maintaining affordable prices for the budget-conscious consumer. Kershaw said the store stocks products and produce from various producers across the Wellington and Wairarapa regions.

“Too many to call out one particular.”

For sustainability, P&K Four Square recycles and processes as much soft plastic as possible from the store and the wider community.

“We have a dedicated bailer to compact it as well. All hot water is preheated by waste refrigeration heat.”

He continued that everything from refrigeration to lighting has been considered for its energy consumption. Currently, the store is running lower electricity usage than before, despite having more than doubled the size of the Four Square.

Kershaw said that the family has invested in the future grocer and customer, stating