BU Be the Difference celebrates individuality by offering a range of clothing, gifts, homeware, and accessories to suit most tastes and styles.

Described as ‘where fashion meets passion’, B U is a new business sprawled across two shops on the eastern end of Marine Parade.

The emporium is the dream of Kathy and Terena Hawkins, focusing on unique items and providing choices for local people by merging style with affordability.

Kathy and Terena had both worked at Glengarry aged care rest home, with Kathy, a registered nurse, the manager. The flooding and subsequent closing of the facility provided the pair with an opportunity to go out on their own.

“We wanted our range to be affordable and offer a little bit of something and a lot of everything.” The end result is a selection that extends from men's, women's and children’s clothing and shoes to jewellery, sun and reading glasses, handbags, and dedicated boys' and menswear from short and shirt suits to boxers. B U also makes a conscious effort to cater for all shapes and sizes, ‘from little to big’.

But it doesn’t stop there; the range includes homeware, furniture, camping gear, linen, towels and blankets, with more stock arriving daily.

“We are an emporium selling a wide variety of goods based on what people want.”

Kathy, who has a background working in mental health, said the business is based on retail but is also about making a difference. “We celebrate that it’s totally ok to be different. B U is all about people and we welcome everyone to call in and just have a chat. For us, it really is a community journey.”

In keeping with their ‘something for everyone policy’, B U also has a range of R18 intimacy products for men and women and hosts toy parties and hen’s parties, which are based at B U, with space also available to rent for gatherings and get-togethers.

Kathy and Terena are committed to Wairoa and say that through B U, they are able to give back to the community. “We have had great support already. People have watched the businesses grow from seeing us with paintbrushes through to new stock arriving daily. “We have a great range of products and love people giving us feedback on what they would like us to stock. We welcome everyone to call in and check us out.”

Follow B U Be the Difference on Facebook

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.30-4 and Saturday, 10-12

2 December 2024

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