Who we are

Background

Brian & Tracy both started life in a small town called Mosgiel, near Dunedin. Married in 1987 and with careers in the FMCG sector, they moved to Auckland in 1992 to further their careers. In 1994 the arrival of their son Taylor (Tay) meant that Tracy made that significant career change.

After spending some time in Indonesia and the Philippines the Hawkers settled back in Auckland for the second time. Brian was regularly visiting the Mars Plant in Whanganui in his role as Commercial Manager and on one family visit to the city they decided to move there, which happened in 2000. Whanganui has been home ever since. In 2006 Brian left Mars and started a SMS Technology business (Ezitxt.com)that enabled the family to stay in Whanganui. Country Lane Originals a Gift and Homeware store was purchased at the same time.

Meanwhile in 2013 Tay left for America on a Rugby scholarship and completed a degree in Sport Management and a Masters in Sport Law and Business. Fast forward to 2023 and while both those businesses have now been sold they certainly haven’t slowed down as you will see. Whanganui has given so much to the Hawkers and now that they own the Old Central Fire Station, they are constantly looking to give something back

About Us

At The Hawker Group, our mission is to cultivate a truly memorable experience, centered around the beautiful Old Central Fire Station. From our unique blend of furniture and homeware at La Station Design Store, through to our short and long term accommodation, we strive to provide an outstanding experience that both customers and guests appreciated.

La Station, our flagship furniture design store housed downstairs within the fire station, serves as a haven for individuals seeking unique, quality and affordable furniture and homeware. We display a collection of furniture pieces that blend form
and function, creating spaces that evoke beauty, comfort, and a sense of style. Station House, our short term accommodation located both on the top floor of the fire station and in the recently renovated townhouse next door, offers an unforgettable stay for guests, combining historical charm with modern comfort. It serves as a welcoming retreat, inviting visitors to experience the character and rich heritage of Whanganui while enjoying a comfortable and memorable stay.

Joining La Station on the bottom floor is a commercial space currently being leased to Business Whanganui (Whanganui Chamber of Commerce) where local business people can access tools, training and network to help grow their businesses.

Complementing our central fire station location, we have the Station Townhouses which are 9 long-term stay, 2 bedroom plus study townhouses offering a unique opportunity for residents to immerse themselves in the vibrant central city scene of
Whanganui, while enjoying the convenience of modern amenities and a sense of community.

Through our passion for retail and accommodation The Hawker Group aims to provide high quality experiences and caring customer service that leave a lasting impact.

About The Building

The building itself was built in 1921 and was designed by the renowned architects Ford & Talboys with an Italian Renaissance influence and with very simple elements being used to gain a quiet and dignified appearance appropriate to the building’s use and its character as one of the town’s principal public buildings.

The main front of the building faced Wilson Street to avoid potential conflict between emerging fire engines and the trams on Guyton Street. The centre of the station was the plant room with its three large doors opening onto Wilson Street; the public entrance was also on Wilson Street (a doorway later blocked off and made into a window). Single-men’s quarters were mainly on the ground floor with the Guyton Street entrance providing access to the first floor with its social hall, further single men’s quarters as well as self-contained quarters for the superintendent and his deputy.

The fire station is a two-storey brick building with plaster finish. The roof is mainly clad with Marseilles tiles; the rear portion with its corrugated iron was one of the changes to the original design, presumably to save money, and has always been clad in this way. The design of the building reflects a Georgian revival style which was much-favoured by Ford at the time. It has wide bracketed eaves and symmetrically placed sash windows with 8 lights to each sash. Pilasters delineate the slightly protruding corner bays on the street elevations; the ground floor windows on these bays have upper pediments. Cornice bands run around the building, front and back, at the head and sill of the first floor windows. The simple disc motif below the corner window pediments and between the upper cornice and the soffit with its wooden brackets is a decorative device used by Ford on two other commercial buildings he designed in Wanganui – Empress Buildings in Ridgway Street and the interior courtyard of Victoria Court in the Avenue.

Construction of a new Fire Station started in 1979 and in 1981 the Fire Service moved to the new premises.