Raetihi cafe celebrates quarter century of feeding Waimarino

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 46, 29 April 1986, Page 8

Raetihi cafe celebrates quarter century of feeding Waimarino

The Ioannidis family of Raetihi are celebrating a quarter of a century at their Raetihi business, the Wellington Cafe. The business has been a family affair ever since Terry and Ann Ioannidis moved to the town from Wellington with their four children. Eldest daughter, Venetia, began working in the shop when she was six years old and still helps out. Stefan, the youngest, was seven months old when they arrived in Raetihi and now works full-time in the cafe with his parents. Eldest son, Foti, now lives on a Raetihi farm, and Marie, the second daughter, lives in Palmerston North. They opened the cafe 25 years ago in the building next door, now occupied by Vanity Fair drapers. They sold takeaways and sit-down meals as well as fresh fish and ginger ale. Later they developed a range of ice creams and flavoured drinks, and now Stefan makes cakes and pies, so most of the food at the cafe is home-made. In I976, during the week of the decimal currency changeover, the family moved next door to the present cafe, in what was

previously Miss Legge's dress shop. They re-built the shop making it one of two new buildings in the town at the time. For the first four years

they worked every day except Christmas and New Year's Day. They had 10 days holiday then, and in the late 1960s decided to have one day off a week. Today they begin work

early in the morning and finish anywhere between 7pm to 10pm. To make up for their hard work, they take several months off work every few years, and travel around the world. Last year they spent six months overseas, including several in Romania, where Terry grew up. In 1979, Ann won $60,000 in the Golden Kiwi and bought a house in Raetihi in which Stefan now lives. Ann and Terry live just behind the cafe. At present the family have no plans for the future. "We take each year as it comes," said Ann.