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Pain
& Kershaw Ltd. Small
Beginnings South
Wairarapa's largest departmental store has grown from small beginnings.
Originally set up by George Pain, who walked over to the Wairarapa
(known as Widrop in those days) from Wellington, at the age of 19.
Initialy he hawked his goods around the farming community. In 1872
he was able to set up a small general store on Wharekaka Plain selling
mainly farm clothing. When John Martin cut up some of his land for
townships, and started Martinborough, Mr Pain
Survival
against the odds
P & K has survived fire and huge financial loss (for those times, 1908: 3000 pounds sterling) The business came through the depression of 1929 and the 2 earthquakes of 1942. The latter did so much damage to the ornate concrete facade that the Army was called in to pull down the dangerously unstable masonry. The walls were boarded up and remained so for 6 years. The boarded up building was an eyesore to the town and as finance was available, plans were made to rebuild and enlarge the shop. The project took nine months to complete. More staff were needed to run the large complex. At its peak 26 persons were employed in the business. Over the years Pain & Kershaw have had some wonderfully loyal staff, among then Miss Campbell and Miss Thelma Feist, who spent her whole working life with the firm.
The
Deliveries must get through!! Pain and Kershaw¹s have always taken pride in their delivery service. A staff member used to cycle round the town every morning taking the orders for twice daily deliveries. Horses were a vital part of the P&K customer service.. until motor vehicles gradually took over from 1915. Regular deliveries went all the way out to the coast as well as around town and were an important part of the business. To keep the wheels turning needed 20 horses in 1914, but by 1926 only two were left (Dolly and Tutu). Once the vehicles had completely taken over, the land where the horses had been stabled was gifted to the town and known as Centennial Park today. |
bought up what he considered the best sites and set his store up on
them. In 1889, he sold the store to John Gallie, only to buy it back
several years later. A Mr Haycock was taken on, and the
store traded as Pain & Haycock. Shortly afterwards, a Mr Kershaw,
who was running the grocery business bought a third share, two years
later Mr Pain handed his share over to the two men, as he felt it
was "too small for the three of us, and I was doing very well
in other ways. I further said that whatever profits had been made
in the two years they might divide between them," wrote Mr Pain.
From these generous beginnings was Pain and Kershaw born. 
