After more than 30 years there is once again a commercial food hub in Hāwea Flat. 

The small settlement’s original store, McPhee’s General Store on Camphill Road, closed 60 years ago and reopened as a Four Square store, which operated until the late 1970s.

When Leanne Harling bought the store in 1993, it had been closed for years, the nearby garage was also closed, and the Post Office (now the Hāwea playgroup) had closed earlier in the 80s.

But the first steps of new commerce have returned to Hāwea Flat in the form of Leanne’s recently opened coffee cart, Camphill Coffee, on the site of the former Four Square store, and her takeaway coffee and food is being well received by the community.

Her cart provides hot savoury food and baking - including scones made fresh each morning - every week day, from 8am to 1pm. The coffee is roasted in Lake Hāwea by Robert Holt of See Crow Fly. Leanne said Robert and his partner Rachel Horan were a great support as she set up her new business and were “just a phone call away”.

Leanne kept the original ‘Four Square’ on her home when it was replastered.

Leanne was the Hāwea Flat School secretary for 23 years, and resigned late last year wanting a change. After setting up Camphill Coffee, she said “every other person” has told her they would like to have done just what she’s done.

The coffee cart has turned out to be a busy social hub. 

Leanne was guessing who her clientele would be, and how large it would be, and she’s been surprised by the number of tradies - some of whom told her they had been driving into Wanaka daily to buy coffee.

Leanne is also well supported by the nearby school and kindergarten staff, playgroup parents, neighbours (“I’m meeting so many people I didn’t know lived here”, she said), and lots of cyclists making use of the Hāwea River Track and the recently opened Devon Link Track.

When the Wanaka App visited for an excellent piccolo flat white and cheese scone, neighbour Donald Urquhart was enjoying a coffee and memories of Hāwea Flat’s old store. 

Now Leanne has reignited the commercial area, Donald would like to see a cafe and bar next. 

PHOTOS: Wanaka App