‘Well-loved’ Christchurch plant retailer shutting up shop after 56 years

Thursday, 28 November 2024

Christchurch plant retailer Parva Plants is closing down.

Owner Greg Tod said a 50% reduction in turnover over the past 12 months had left him and his wife Jenny “with no choice”.

The company has served home gardeners for 56 years.

A “well-loved” plant retailer will close on Friday after 56 years of serving home gardeners.

Christchurch-based Parva Plants is closing down, citing a “downturn in the economy” and “falling interest in gardening”.

Initially based in Tauranga, Jenny and Greg Tod moved the business to Prebbleton, Christchurch when they bought it in 2007.

Greg said a 50% reduction in turnover over the past 12 months had “left them with no choice”.

“We just ended up having to give up the fight,” he said.

He said rising costs and a “significant” reduction in sales had made carrying on the business “unsustainable”, despite laying off staff and trying their hardest to keep it going.

The company provided a wide range of home gardening plants, and specialised in “unique” plants that customers “may not have been able to find elsewhere”.

It also produced a comprehensive biannual catalogue that was sent out to over 7000 customers.

Marilyn Cable had been ordering plants from the Tods for 17 years and said she was “devastated” the company was closing down.

“They sold plants that were different from the run of the mill ones you pick up from the garden centres,” she said.

Kate Batstone said most of her half acre property had been planted with Parva plants.

She said she had been buying from the “well-loved” business for 30 years.

“I’m just sad that they’ve had to go.”

Friday will be Parva Plants’ last day of trading.

Greg said he and Jenny were looking forward to some “rest and relaxation” after working seven day weeks to keep the business afloat.