Moving to Auckland

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 241, 3 May 1988, Page 12 (Supplement)

Moving to Auckland

Junction Ski Shop owner operator Mike Wiggins, is branching out to Auckland to takeon the leisure water sports market. This does not mean he is relinquishing his well-established ski shop in Ohakune, but merely extending the business. The purchase of Ski and Underwater World in Auckland to be renamed Junction Ski and Underwater, was a survival measure for Mike and his wife Vicky. High interest rates and fluctuating ski seasons have had their toll on the business. "It's really been brought home to us over this summer in particular, the need to cover our back door by looking to other places or other areas," said Mike. For the past three years they have investigated other avenues including the motel business, finally settling on the dive shop which ideally suits their needs. "The dive season overlaps into the ski season and if you had a bad ski season you will have a good dive season, and vice versa," said Mike. "You get a good all year round income from the ski dive industry, which is where we're aiming to go at the moment." Their ultimate aim is to expand into another shop in Wellington which will give greater coverage of the North Island and service centres at all three

points. Mike envisages stock planning and control will be a lot easier for three centres, enabling stock to be purchased in Auckland and Wellington earlierin the year and stock movements to Ohakune during the later part of the season. This he said, will help in extending the life of the season to six months. "What it's coming down to is financial planning because with interest rates and the way things are going, you just can't sit out season after season. While the lifestyle might be okay, the financial side of it just isn't there anymore." Initally they intended to sell their Ohakune business and move to Auckland. The

opportunity came about, soon after advertising the shop for sale, to purchase another business with help from finance companies. Mike and Vicky intend to see the season out with the Junction Ski Shop then move with their family to Auckland in November. They will continue to travel to Ohakune each season for the peak period to manage the business. In the interim the ski shop will be managed by Linda Netton who has been in their employ for the past seven years. It will be a "hard graft" for the pair for the next few years, to transform the dive shop into a mirror image of their high profile Ohakune business.