Retro

Set in an old villa on Ballance Street in Gisborne, you’d kick yourself for mistaking this as just another residential home in the neighbourhood. Take another look and you’ll see the paint splattered logo of Retro stamped across the exterior wall, inviting you to explore a world of 50s and 60s treasures. 

Owner Ro quite literally puts the ‘ro’ in retro. A self-confessed beach bum, she moved to the sunny streets of Tairāwhiti Gisborne in the 80s and never looked back. With a background in fashion, photography and music (rumour has it her DJ sets used to attract quite the party), it seems Ro has always had a connection to artistic expressions that tell a story. It wasn’t until the late noughties that she began to collect various trinkets with a tale, igniting the dream to open her own shop of pre-loved gems.

While the back of the store is home to Ro’s living quarters, the front rooms of the building showcase a mix of antique furniture, clothing and homewares. Fur coats and polka dot dresses show off on the racks, colourful glassware and traditional crockery fill shelves, and cabinets glimmer with glamorous jewellery from bygone parties. If your wardrobe, kitchen or living room is lacking a bit of character, you know where to go.

So, where does everything come from? The reality of Ro’s job means that she’s helping locals clear out the homes of their loved ones who have often passed. Although there can be moments of sadness in that, it’s wonderful to think that so many stories are able to live on and be cherished in a new place.

In the summer, it’s not uncommon to see Ro and her mini poodle Milly lounging on the sunny front porch, happily catching up with locals and eagerly exchanging stories with out-of-towners. Retro is an adored part of the Gisborne landscape, with a magical timeless quality that will never go out of style.