Can any Kiwis help identify the location...

[geogphotos]

...of this department store, part of a nationwide chain, which later on was taken over by Woolworths.

 

I can't see any on Alamy of McKenzies. This was taken in 1974. Looks like a smaller provincial town but having tried I just can't locate it. Bank of NSW on the corner, the Camera House  shop on this side and Ayson's jewellers also tucked in there. Further along the street is Bells Busy Centre written on a shop front. 

 

The woman in the brown coat is called Mabel.

 

Any ideas please? 

 

Edited September 16, 2020 by geogphotos

[spacecadet]

21 minutes ago, geogphotos said:

The woman in the brown coat is called Mabel.

😀

Try Courtenay Place, Wellington. There's a good deal of Art Deco there and that blue building on the left rings a bell. There has been a lot of demolition since the 70s.

Forget that, Mckenzies was in Willis Street, too narrow.

You must have seen this

https://timespanner.blogspot.com/2012/04/mckenzies-variety-store-of-my-memory.html

Edited September 16, 2020 by spacecadet

[spacecadet]

How about this? Tutakenai Street, Rotorua.

https://collection.rotoruamuseum.co.nz/objects/11209

The struts look right, so do the windows on the blue building and the concrete mouldings on the frontage.

That would be 60s, I think, there's a Morris Minor.

I reckon it's this view. The pitched tile roof is right but the tall modern building has been replaced and the blue one is gone.

https://www.google.com/maps/@-38.1384559,176.2515073,3a,75y,325.19h,95.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYF6yj-JZ-pjJkUukMNUFag!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Must have walked right past it in December.

Edited September 16, 2020 by spacecadet

[geogphotos]

Thanks. I think you have got the answer. 

 

This was another well loved Supermarket, McKenzies had two entrances, one on Hinemoa Street (where the Pick n Mix lolly stand was) and the shop could also be accessed from Tutanekai Street. The supermarket part was opened on 28 June 1966 and a 3 page write-up and advertising appeared in the Daily Post, pages 11-14. On the same day Tikitere Hell's Gate celebrated their new instant geyser!  

The McKenzies Department Store had been on the same site from [1937]

There have been a number of shops over the years since McKenzies closed it's doors (1988? exact date not found). Among them Silvana Models; La Rouge Perfumery ; ?.

The space was transformed from one large store into 8 smaller stores. Currently occupied by Jaycar, JK Kids and Just Kebab on Hinemoa Street and Pumpkin Patch, Rotorua Discounter, Just Jeans and Gould Photographics (possibly also where 'Envy Shoes, Handbags and Clothing is now) on Tutanekai Street. (to be confirmed)