When heavy rain, high tides and flooding cut off access to parts of the Coromandel, Four Square Buffalo Beach owner-operator Mike Neilson was determined to keep his store open for the community.
Neilson, who has owned the Buffalo Beach store for two years after previously running Four Square Dannevirke for five years, lives around 20 minutes away in Matarangi.
On the morning of the storm, he was at home when his team messaged to say conditions were worsening.
“I jumped in my Hyundai iMax van and tried to get through, but the road by Simpsons Beach was impassable because of the tide. I was within spitting distance of Whitianga but had to turn around and go home,” he said.
With low tide at around 3.30pm, Neilson tried again. He packed a bag and made it through to Whitianga. Once at the store, he sent the team home and stayed on alone as the weather deteriorated.
With tourists in town and uncertainty about road access and power, customers continued coming in until early evening, many buying extra water and groceries in case conditions worsened overnight.
By 8pm, as the rain continued to pour, Neilson closed the store and turned his attention to flood protection. He picked up sandbags from town and placed them around loading areas and the front entrance before beginning to restock what he could.
“The back of house was already knee-deep in water, so access to some stock was limited. At high tide just after 10pm, water was right up to the front of the store, and the back areas were flooded. My office is completely under water,” he said.
Concerned about keeping the store trading for locals and visitors the next morning and with no way of getting home, Neilson stayed overnight, tidying, completing admin tasks and preparing the store for opening before watching the Blackcaps take on India at cricket on his phone. He opened early at 5.30am to allow the building to dry out, with team members arriving at 6.30am ahead of the 6.45am opening.
Road closures meant Neilson was unable to get home this morning, so instead went to a friend’s house for a shower and an hours sleep before heading back to the store to continue the clean-up and begin the insurance process.
He credited his team for acting quickly earlier in the day to protect stock by lifting it off the ground, and acknowledged support from nearby stores.
“The team at New World Whitianga called to check if we needed help, which meant a lot,” he said.
While trading was quiet early in the morning, business has picked up as the day has gone on, with nearly every car park in town filled by the afternoon. Hot, humid conditions have cold drinks in demand, and despite delivery delays, the store has remained well stocked.
As the recovery continues, Neilson said being present when things get tough is part of the responsibility of being a local store owner.
“You’re part of a community, whether it’s regular locals or visitors who don’t know the area. As an owner-operator, you don’t just own the business, you’re responsible for how it shows up for people when they need it,” he said.
Despite being flooded, Neilson said the Coromandel is a special place to live and work and a few days of bad weather each year is completely worth it.
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