Staff at Wanaka’s Mitre 10 Mega have prepared a “fun gift” for the community to enjoy - but not until 2091. 

When the store’s staff were moving to the new building last year they talked about how they could preserve Mitre 10 Wanaka’s history. 

“This is the third shop we’ve been in in town. We wanted to capture some of the history of the shop, celebrate its community, and create a fun gift for the Wanaka community 70 years down the line,” Mitre 10 staff member Karen Wells told the Wanaka App.

Karen coordinated a project to prepare a time capsule to be put in place at the new store. 

The items for the capsule included a visual recording of both the old and the new stores (“on a USB stick that we trust they will be able to download in 70 years,” Karen said); interviews with staff; memorabilia including coins, stamps, newspapers, photos, and a now defunct plastic bag with the Mitre 10 logo on it.

Lily Wilson, one of Mitre 10 MEGA's younger staff, helps secure the time capsule. 

Each of the store’s departments contributed something for the capsule, Karen said, for example the garden department provided pressed native flowers.

Karen said they decided the time capsule should be opened in 70 years time because “we have a history of a lot of young people from Mount Aspiring College working in the stores and thought some of them may still be around to pull it up”.

On Thursday June 24 staff inserted the time capsule in place in the ground at the entrance of the store. About 30 staff were present, including the store’s youngest staff members (many of whom have parents who also work in the store) who secured the capsule in place.  

The top of the capsule (which was made by Wanaka Metalworks) lists the date it was put in place, and the store’s whakatauki: Nā te pakiaka te rākau i tū ai (which means “It is the roots that enables the tree to stand. The house is built on good foundations”).

Karen said the staff wanted to perform the ceremony on June 24 as this date also marked Matariki (the Maori New Year), making it a “nice line in the sand - the start of a new year”. 

PHOTOS: Wanaka App