After an adventure of a lifetime, Craig and Karen Bishop-Everett, the new owner-operators of On the Spot Meadows in Richmond, are thrilled to swap the sea for dry land and take the reins of their brand-new store. The couple, who returned to the top of the South at the end of last year after four years of full-time sailing abroad, are ready to bring their wealth of experience and passion back to their community.
Having previously owned On the Spot Collingwood for seven years - their first store under the Foodstuffs South Island co-op - as well as Take Note Tākaka, and a retail consulting business, the couple sold up at the end of 2019 and flew to Fiji to buy a 45-foot monohull to begin their round-the-world trip. Then, Covid hit. “We spent Covid cruising around Fiji on a boat,” says Craig. “There were no lockdowns – it was awesome.” After about two years in Fiji, they sold their boat and headed to the US. They spent the next two years sailing from the US down through Mexico, the Sea of Cortés, to El Salvador, and then across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia, Tahiti, American Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia, and finally Indonesia and Malaysia.
Craig says, “When we were looking at coming back to New Zealand we started the process about what we wanted to do, and what we wanted to be involved in. We were sitting on a beach in Malaysia and just knew that we wanted to be our own bosses. We looked at all sorts of options throughout different industries across the country. But we knew that ultimately grocery was what we wanted to get back into. We wanted to create a ‘work family’ and spoke with the support person, Suzanne, from On the Spot. We knew her from our store in Collingwood so already had a really good idea of how things operated.”
When the opportunity arose for Craig and Karen to return to the area, and to open the only convenience store serving the Meadows subdivision, it felt like destiny. “What initially drew us in to opening the On the Spot store was the general community feeling that The Meadows evoked,” says Karen. “We’ve always loved the grocery industry, and we’re so excited to be back in this beautiful part of the country to serve our local community.” Craig comments on the parallels between sailing and the grocery business, saying, “Both are fast-moving and every action has an immediate consequence, much like retail.”
Craig and Karen first started talks about the store in October last year, coming back to New Zealand in December. Eight months on from that initial conversation they were proud to open the doors to On the Spot Meadows in June. In the weeks leading up, the couple were busy adding the finishing touches and gearing up for the highly anticipated opening. They received numerous messages of support and encouragement from the Meadows community, which is home to around 5,000 residents.
“People have been telling us they’ve been hanging out for us to open, and that the area will really benefit from having a local store serving the subdivision,” Karen shares. Craig agrees, saying, “We’re excited to be a part of the community and contribute however we can. The one thing we missed about being away from New Zealand, apart from friends and family, was doing our bit for the community. This is why we came back. It’s our thing, it’s what drives us.”
Craig himself brings around 30 years of experience in the grocery industry. A butcher by trade, he began his Foodstuffs journey toward store ownership on the first day of his apprenticeship at New World Southmall in Manurewa, South Auckland. Over the years, he has worked his way up through various roles at several stores, including New World Waiuku and PAK’n’SAVE Glen Innes, Wairau, and Manukau. He also completed an Executive Master of Business Administration with Massey University.
“I was really lucky I had an owner-operator who was willing to share his experiences and show me the way as part of my development. People within Foodstuffs are willing to give people a go, and one of our big things is to pay it forward, which we want to do here at The Meadows.” Originally from the North Island, Craig and Karen met while working in the Training and Development department at the Foodstuffs Support Centre in Auckland, where they discovered a shared interest in sailing. They lived in Golden Bay for seven years, operating their businesses before embarking on their epic world adventure.
The extensive travel not only broadened their horizons, they say, but also reinforced their love for the grocery industry and their commitment to serving their local community. Despite the allure of the open sea, they always knew they would return home to serve their community as local grocers once again. “The whole time we were away, on a Tuesday, I would say to Karen, ‘It’s delivery day today,’ because Tuesday was our Foodies delivery day when we would get our weekly stock for the store,” Craig recalls.
Once the dust settles from opening, the couple are excited to immerse themselves in the community and help to support and promote any initiatives that might come up. Karen explains the community feel of the Meadows development spoke to what they have learnt on their travels. “For us, this is an extension of what we learned while overseas and something we wanted to establish here – to give back to the community in some way, to pay it forward. Throughout the journey we have visited some very remote places. We specifically sought that out and spent time in the villages. Everyone we met was welcoming, wonderful and friendly, and would share whatever they had – even if they had practically nothing. We were invited into people’s homes.”
“It was just extraordinary to see how different the rest of the world could be and yet the same in terms of connection between people. Although we all have different cultures, beliefs, and ways of living, one thing never changes and that is the basic goodness in people. We felt so welcomed, the villagers wanted
to connect and laugh, and they were happy. Some of these people really had nothing much, compared to others, but they would laugh!”
Craig and Karen look forward to connecting with the community at The Meadows. Their adventure has come full circle, bringing them back to where their hearts have always belonged – serving their local community and making a positive impact on the lives of those around them. The response from the recent opening has been phenomenal, say the couple. “We feel very welcomed,” says Craig. " It is so good to finally be here, and we feel we can create a good life. The developers did a great job with establishing their vision of a community hub. This is our sort of thing, and now it is up to us to deliver on that vision.”
Graham Vercoe, the developer of Berryfield’s and The Meadows, and owner of GJ Gardner Homes, says the couple are the perfect fit for the business, and its surrounding area, bringing their many years of expertise to the neighbourhood and its residents. “From my perspective, I am very happy to have Craig and Karen as the new owners of On the Spot in The Meadows. They are very experienced in the grocery field and are both genuinely good people. They have fitted very well into the community they intend to serve and are an asset to the commercial heart of The Meadows.”
“We wouldn't be here without the support from all of our local tradespeople,” says Craig. “I project managed the fitting of the store until it got to a point where specific expertise were needed. The tradies were amazing and we wouldn’t have the store we have, without them, they all worked tirelessly to put the vision together. Everyone, even our window cleaner, Tommo, did the best job of cleaning up nearly two years' worth of build-up on the windows. He is just a super nice guy who did an amazing job, and that really sums up our experience with everyone! They are all just good people doing good things in their own quiet way. Foodstuffs have also been fantastic. They are a group of grocers working together to support other grocers – and the level of help from them has been outstanding.”
Located in The Meadows hub, next to Sprig + Fern and Alioke Cafe, On the Spot Meadows is a 250-square-meter retail space in the heart of the Meadows subdivision. The store stocks a full range of basic supermarket items for customers and around 2,000 product lines, including grocery, produce, chilled and frozen goods, meat, and food-to-go sections, including hot chickens, sandwiches, and sweet treats.
