3 Wānaka Creatives & The Places That Inspire Them

Anna from The Workroom looking at fabric swatches.
A landscape that would give Monet and Van Gogh something to paint about, it’s hardly surprising that Wānaka is home to a rich community of artists and big thinkers, feasting off its beauty to fuel their own creative ideas.

Heatwave

Exterior view of Heatwave.
Place Wānaka
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Located on Dunmore Street in Wānaka, Heatwave is a community hub as much as it is an outdoor lifestyle store.

Thieving Kea

Exterior of Thieving Kea.
Place Wānaka

Perched along Wānaka’s picture-perfect lakefront, Thieving Kea is a family-run boutique that captures the heart of Aotearoa’s artisan culture and natural beauty.

Alice Herald

Two hands holding a beautiful pink diamond ring.
Place Wānaka
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Couture is a word most often associated with high-end fashion, but down Wānaka’s sleek laneway, The Precinct, you will find a window displaying Alice Herald’s...

Wānaka Lavender Farm

A purple tractor parked in between rows of purple lavender at Wānaka Lavender Farm.
Place Wānaka
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This is not your typical working farm.

DEVàl Boutique

A woman looks through a rack of clothing in DEVàl Boutique, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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DEVàL’s story is one of family, tragedy and triumph.

Pembroke Wines & Spirits

Life is too short to drink bad wine sign at Pembroke Wines & Spirits, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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Pembroke Wines & Spirits is a boutique bottle shop that delivers more than you thought you ever needed.

Freshlink Grocer

The interior of Freshlink Grocer where there is a costumer walking around shopping.
Place Wānaka
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This whole-food store and knowledge hub has a genuinely wholesome focus on slow food, championing minimal to zero processing and local growers and producers.

The Next Chapter

The outside of The Next Chapter, Wānaka on a sunny day.
Place Wānaka

Located out front of Paradiso Cinema, in a purpose-built, architecturally designed, scaled-up kiosk, The Next Chapter provides readers with an intimate escape from the...

Fearless

Sports bottles and other accessories on display at Fearless, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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Fearless is a store with a purpose.

The Precinct

People walking down the alleyway.
Place Wānaka
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A stylish, shared complex in Wānaka with a range of alluring retail and hospitality stores.

Inside Tattoo

Artwork and inspiration on the wall at Inside Tattoo, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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Far from your average tattoo parlour, Inside Tattoo is a place to marvel at the artwork, ask questions and have your curiosity sparked.

Bike Glendhu

Cycling over grass at sunset.
Place Wānaka
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Biking in a naturally beautiful setting.

Load up Your Tote Bag at Wānaka's Best Independent Boutiques

Interior view of The Workroom, Wānaka.
Immerse yourself in Wānaka's creative shopping scene.

Revology Concept Store

Wide angle view of Revology Wanaka.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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French composite and materials specialist, Alex, and New Zealand human rights lawyer, Monique, are the heart and soul behind Wānaka’s concept store and tea house centred around conscious living.

The Old School House

Exterior of The Old School House building.
Place Wānaka
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Over a century old, The Old School House is doing far better than most of its age.

Wastebusters

Close up of glassware on a table.
Place Wānaka
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When you’re on a ‘reuse, recycle and reduce’ mission, who you gonna call?

Wilson & Dorset

Close up of sheepskin cushions of different shades of brown at Wilson & Dorset, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka

We love to sit down. But it wasn’t until we plonked ourselves on a Wilson & Dorset Shaggy Bean Bag and lounged on their sheepskin rugs that we realised just how good putting one’s feet up could be. What a revelation.

How To Spend a Snowy Weekend in Wānaka

Tree growing in Lake Wānaka with snowy mountains in the background. Photograph by Casey Horner.
Wānaka's winter appeal doesn’t stop on the hill. This Otago town offers more than meets the eye.

Untouched World

Inside Untouched World, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka
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In true Untouched World style, the Wānaka branch of the fashion brand with a non-negotiable stance on sustainability and ethics is nothing short of spectacular.

Pembroke Pâtisserie

Female staff member behind the counter at Pembroke Pâtisserie, Wānaka.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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Pembroke Pâtisserie offers hot pastries for your picnic, sweet pastries galore, or for those who like the finer things in life there are artistically prepared macarons and tiny tarts.

The Green Room

The interior of The Green Room flower and plant store with light pink counters.
Place Wānaka
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A smart, fresh and colourful botanical store, The Green Room is the place to come for beautiful plants or a big bouquet for someone special.

Perriam

Folded knitwear on wooden shelves and mannequins accessorised with hats and woven shoulder bags.
Place Wānaka
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Perriam is a brand designed by long-time local Christina Perriam and is the perfect combination of high country stations and beautiful fashion.

Gallery Thirty Three

Entrance to the gallery.
Place Wānaka
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Whether it be painting, sculpture, ceramics or jewellery, this gallery isn’t fussy when it comes to medium.

The Workroom

White shelves of crockery, glassware and other homewares on display in a sunlight-filled room in The Workroom.
Place Wānaka

Aesthetic is what The Workroom does best, so it’s not surprising walking in here is a pleasure in itself.

47 Frocks

Yu Mei handbags sit on a shelf above a rack of hanging clothes.
Place Wānaka Editor's Pick
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Wānaka is no sleepy town when it comes to being on trend with the latest fashion. Thanks to the friendly team at 47 Frocks, you can wander the lakeside dressed to impress with the latest styles and accessories from NZ designers.