The Historic Langford Store & Post Office

Stepping into The Langford Store in Golden Bay is like stepping into a piece of historic Kiwiana, and immediately brings a smile to your face. The shelves are chocka with vintage and retro homeware and kitchen appliances, interspersed with homemade preserves, glass jars of classic Kiwi lollies and colourful, handmade bucket hats and aprons.

The Langford Store has been operating since 1928 when it was founded by E B Langford. Everywhere you look is a loving homage to the post offices and general stores that served as the heart of rural communities like Golden Bay. 

Today, The Langford Store is an unmissable stop for a cup of coffee or tea—served in delicate bone china cup-and-saucer sets—and a baked sweet treat. The classic is, of course, the pillowy-soft Devonshire scones, which come with jam and cream, but there’s also the ever-changing cake of the day. 

Cuppa and cake sorted, step around to the former storage shed, which has been converted into a dining space decorated with even more thematic displays of Kiwiana, where a rotating selection of works by local Golden Bay artists for sale hang on the walls. 

Altogether, it’s a special space to stop, breathe and dip your toe into the past.