Sep 3, 2007

Design shop couldn’t help growingBy Nick ChurchouseStuff.co.nz

Long standing design store The Vault has proven that starting life underground is no hindrance to success.

Sixteen years after opening their first shop underground in an old bank vault in Auckland’s High St, owners Sarah and Phillip Solaris have announced the first international branch of The Vault in London.

The growth has been carefully considered, with the couple taking 13 years to be convinced.

Stores in Wellington and Christchurch quickly followed the Auckland Vault opening, but since 1994 the business has remained steady at three outlets.

Selling design-inspired jewellery, giftware and art, The Vault has become a lofty ideal for New Zealand artisans to showcase their products, and stocks about 70 per cent Kiwi-made items.

Global domination was never part of The Vault mission statement, and offers to expand to Australia and other countries over the years had been turned down, Ms Solaris said.

The legal wrangling to hash out partnerships was arduous and draining, and it was never about being the biggest, she said.

“We’ve got a lovely lifestyle, a child and I’m not really in it to make heaps of money,” she said.

The Vault recently won a Global Innovator Award alongside global brands such as Selfridges and Bloomingdales for homeware retailing excellence.

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