The doors to the new Four Square Rakaia opened under the ownership of experienced grocers Mike and Catherine Thomas.
Taking the reins of the iconic store in one of the town’s best-known buildings, the couple moved to Rakaia after eight years running Four Square Pleasant Point, where they became well-known for rolling up their sleeves in local life.
Mike Thomas said leaving Pleasant Point wasn’t part of the original plan. He contributed to local sport and community leadership in a big way, was heavily involved in sports clubs and sat on the community board.
“We loved it there and weren’t looking to leave - this opportunity was too good to pass up,” he said.
They take over from Glen Parris, who has been the face of Four Square Rakaia for 17 years.
“Whatever Glen did for the community, we’ll continue. Once we get to know people, we’ll consider if there are any other ways we can play a part.”
With around 1,700 locals and a steady stream of visitors and tourists, the new Four Square Rakaia is one of Foodstuffs South Island’s 35 stores serving communities of fewer than 5,000 people.
The store has a distinctive setup designed to cater for everyone, from locals needing everyday essentials to people passing through.
To celebrate the opening and recognise Rakaia’s status as the salmon capital of New Zealand, the store has stocked salmon and given away 1,000 chocolate fish.
As part of welcoming the community, every household in the local area has received a NZD five voucher to spend in-store voucher.
“It’s a simple way to say hello and start building connections,” said Catherine Thomas.
Mike Thomas began his career as a trolley boy at PAK’nSAVE Moorhouse in Christchurch before working his way up to roles in grocery operations and merchandise management.
After seven years with a supplier, the Four Square opportunity in Pleasant Point sparked the family’s move into store ownership, and they haven’t looked back.
“We like being busy, and we love seeing communities succeed. Everything is going to plan so far, and long may it continue - we can’t wait to meet our new community,” he added.
The revamped Four Square Rakaia now offers 1,300 new food lines, including Fairlie Bakehouse pies, a first for the area, real fruit ice creams, barista-made coffee to fill the gap left when the café closed, a larger frozen section, an expanded butchery range, hot food such as chicken and chips, beer and wine, and South Island favourites like Barkers of Geraldine.
Eugene Ruane, Four Square Group Manager for Foodstuffs South Island, said the new store is all about making life easier for the local community and reflects the future of Four Square: modern, sustainable, and always community-focused.
“We’ve built it with our customers in mind: wider aisles, electronic shelf labels to support pricing integrity, energy-efficient refrigeration systems that keep food fresher for longer and self-checkout options,” said Ruane.
“There are 57 Four Squares in the South Island, and we take a lot of pride in the role of supporting small communities.”
