New wellness studio transforms building in Timaru’s CBD

Monday, 17 March 2025

The former Butterfields building in Timaru’s CBD has been given a new, peaceful lease of life, and brings an end to a row of once run-down shops in the town’s main street.

Leigh Marsden Holistic Health opened at 144 Stafford St earlier this month with the business owner describing it as “a place to go and take a deep breath’’.

“I chose the name holistic health to represent that this is a place to take care of your whole well being, on all the levels – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual,” Leigh Marsden said.

Marsden, who lived in Geraldine, had been taking yoga classes in Timaru for about eight years, about two of those from No 5 George St. She said she felt ready to open her own studio.

Having home schooled her children until two weeks ago was also another sign she was ready, she said.

“I also wanted to be in town to energise downtown,” she said. “I just thought, let’s do this, and it has been a big transition.”

The block of buildings, made up of three shops, had been the subject of complaints in the past for their state of disrepair, including in letters to the editor of The Timaru Herald.

In 2004, the late Terry Kennedy, a councillor, described the building as an “eyesore to Timaru”.

The building, which is partly two-storeyed, had an overall area of 740m², with 460m² in the main shop.

Marsden understood the space had been empty for about 14 years.

“The building was very dilapidated and it has had a complete makeover,” she said.

“It has a lovely feeling of freshness and newness now. It’s something to be proud of.”

Marsden said, more than ever, people were looking for opportunities to look after their wellbeing and the studio offered a range of classes such as tai chi, yoga which included trauma-informed yoga, pilates and breath work and meditation.

Complementary treatments would also be available, she said.

Aware of the financial difficulties many were facing, Marsden said people did not need to book for classes, and were welcome to just turn up at the studio.

She said she was happy to talk to anyone who wanted to talk about different payment options.

“We’re very flexible and approachable and are happy to look at split payment options.”

Marsden said she wanted people to feel comfortable about stopping by the new business and she hoped it would be a place where people, men and women, could go to prioritise themselves.

“It’s a space for wellbeing and where people can relax.

“People are struggling, particularly with anxiety and financial tension. It’s hard out there and hopefully the studio will be able to provide a little bit of space.”

There was also a nod to the building’s history with a former Butterfields sign found in the ceiling now taking pride of place, she said.

Butterfields was a furniture outlet which opened in 1925 and closed its doors in the late 1980s.

Marsden said the old furniture shop’s mezzanine levels had also been retained in the makeover.

“There is a real emotional connection to Butterfields. People have come in and talked about going to Butterfields to buy their first pram on the mezzanine floor for example.”

She said the building was now fitted out in ethically sustainable material and its makeover had been an “investment from me and more from the building owner”.

That owner, Gaire Thompson, and Marsden both thanked the team at Gale Builders Timaru for the work they did on the building.

The transformation meant the final shop in the former Butterfields building was almost complete, owner Gaire Thompson said.

“We are working on the back area of the building now,” he said.

Thompson who owned several Timaru buildings, including the nine-storey Cantec House in George St, bought the Butterfields buildings in 2008.

He said the upgrade of the buildings had taken longer than he had hoped but he was pleased the work was almost complete and wished Marsden well in her venture.

“We’re trying to improve that end of town and make it a bit more lively. It’s the sensible thing to do.”

He described the makeover of the buildings as an “expensive exercise” and he was too frightened to add the total cost up.

“It wasn’t a cheap exercise.”

However, it showed the benefit of restoring old buildings, he said.