Guthrie Bowron
{{Short description|New Zealand home improvement store chain}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Guthrie Bowron
| logo =
| logo_caption =
| logo_upright =
| logo_alt =
| type =
| industry =
| predecessor =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1896}} in Dunedin, New Zealand
| founders = Henry Guthrie, George Bowron
| defunct =
| fate =
| successor =
| hq_location_city = Auckland
| hq_location_country = New Zealand
| area_served = New Zealand
| key_people =
| products = Paint, wallpaper, flooring, curtains and blinds
| owner =
| num_employees =
| num_employees_year =
| parent =
| website = {{URL|guthriebowron.co.nz}}
}}
Guthrie Bowron is a franchise of New Zealand home improvement stores established in 1896.{{cite news |last1=OSullivan |first1=Patrick |title=Stepping up to a challenge |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/stepping-up-to-a-challenge/M2V7IATNOQB7TLEAH6DKAWZ7VE/ |agency=Hawke's Bay Today |publisher=New Zealand Media and Entertainment |date=7 November 2015}} It sells a range of home decorating supplies, including paint, wallpaper, flooring, curtains and blinds.{{cite web |title=Guthrie Bowron |url=https://www.guthriebowron.co.nz |website=guthriebowron.co.nz |publisher=Guthrie Bowron}}
There are 51 Guthrie Bowron stores around New Zealand, including five in Auckland.
History
=Private company (1896-1963)=
The Guthrie Brown company was established in 1896 in Dunedin man Henry Guthrie. George Bowron later came on as a business partner, and the pair travelled around the South Island selling a range of products.{{cite web |title=About Guthrie Bowron |url=https://www.guthriebowron.co.nz/about-gb/ |website=guthriebowron.co.nz |publisher=Guthrie Bowron}}
In the mid-1920s, the company started importing what were the base ingredients for paint at the time: lacquer, varnish, lead and linseed oil.
In 1932, the company became an agent for Dulux Paints; it opened a wallpaper store in Christchurch a short time later.
=Public company (1963-1971)=
=Dulux Paints ownership (1971-1992)=
In 1971, Guthrie Bowron was purchased by ICI NZ, the owner and manufacturer of Dulux Paints.
The Masterton franchisee opened in 1973. The Waitara, Taranaki store opened as Bedfords Colour Centre about the same time, before becoming a Guthrie Bowron store 49 years later.{{cite news |last1=Ockhuysen |first1=Stephanie |title=A proud father and grandfather: the family man side of a stubborn but passionate community board chairman |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/119157232/a-proud-father-and-grandfather-the-family-man-side-of-a-stubborn-but-passionate-community-board-chairman |agency=Taranaki Daily News |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=1 February 2020}}
=Management ownership (1992-2005)=
A group of senior managers took over the company in 1992.
There were 50 Guthrie Bowron stores in 1999.{{cite news |title=Then as Now |url=http://www.hardwarejournal.co.nz/articles/2019/december/18/then-as-now-december-1999/ |agency=Hardware Journal |publisher=Marketplace Media |date=18 December 2019}}
=Waterman Capital (2005-2014)=
Private equity firm Waterman Private Capital acquired the paint store brand in May 2005.{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Tamsyn |title=Super Fund gives $30m boost to smaller firms |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/super-fund-gives-30m-boost-to-smaller-firms/QMXTVTKBIIM4F7MFDIFERU32RU/ |work=New Zealand Herald |publisher=APN News & Media |date=6 July 2010}}{{cite news |last1=O'Neill |first1=Rob |title=Waterman in Working In |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/5005470/Waterman-in-Working-In |work=Stuff |agency=Stuff |date=15 May 2011}} It relaunched the brand to incorporate other forms of home decorating, such as curtains, blinds and flooring.{{cite news |title=Waterman Sells Guthrie Bowron |url=https://www.waterman.co.nz/news/waterman-sells-guthrie-bowron/#1151 |publisher=Waterman Private Capital |date=5 December 2014}} The franchise otherwise continued as normal.{{cite news |last1=Cully |first1=Paul |title=Explainer: What private equity investment would mean for New Zealand Rugby |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/300208639/explainer-what-private-equity-investment-would-mean-for-new-zealand-rugby |work=Stuff |publisher=Stuff |date=20 January 2021}}
Guthrie Bowron recorded an 8% increase in wallpaper sales between 2011 and 2012, and a 18% increase between 2012 and 2013. The company said wallpaper was becoming a fashion item, and many home decorators were using it to create a feature wall rather than using throughout the entire room.{{cite news |last1=Harvie |first1=Will |title=Wallpaper makes a comeback |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/christchurch-life/9025380/Wallpaper-makes-a-comeback |agency=The Press |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=10 August 2013}}
Waterman trialed a new format in 2012, with a flagship company store at Sylvia Park in Mount Wellington, Auckland.
=Management ownership (2014-)=
Waterman sold Guthrie Bowron through another management buy-out in 2014.
In 2015, many franchises had been operating for two decades and the business model was profitable.
In 2016, Guthrie Bowron had 42 stores.{{cite web |title=New colour for a consolidating category |url=http://www.hardwarejournal.co.nz/articles/2016/september/23/new-colour-for-a-consolidating-category/ |website=hardwarejournal.co.nz |publisher=Marketplace Media}}
In February 2017, some franchisors told the National Business Review they were concerned about the recent closures of new format stores in Sylvia Park, Silverdale, Auckland and Christchurch.{{cite news |last1=Scherer |first1=Karyn |title=More franchisees claim to have been duped |url=https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/more-franchisees-claim-have-been-duped-ks-199914 |agency=National Business Review |date=24 February 2017}} A unspecified number of franchisors called for greater mandatory disclosure provisions.{{cite news |last1=Lord |first1=Simon |title=NBR opens regulation debate again |url=https://franchise.co.nz/articles/2470-nbr-opens-regulation-debate-again |work=Franchise New Zealand Magazine |publisher=Franchise New Zealand |date=27 February 2017}}
Guthrie Bowron stores were required to close during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand in 2020. The Timaru store reported being very busy when it reopened in late April.{{cite news |last1=Mohanlal |first1=Samesh |title=South Canterbury businesses pleased to be back |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/121316068/south-canterbury-businesses-pleased-to-be-back |agency=Timaru Herald |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=28 April 2020}} The store in Te Awamutu reported being "busy as" as in July, despite the local Bunnings and Warehouse Stationery stores closing due to falling revenue.{{cite news |last1=Mather |first1=Mike |title=Bunnings, Warehouse Stationery closures double hit for Te Awamutu |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/122189206/bunnings-warehouse-stationery-closures-double-hit-for-te-awamutu |agency=Waikato Times |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=20 July 2020}}
Global supply chain shortages affected Guthrie Bowron stores in 2021, including manufacturers not being able to source raw materials.{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Catherine |title=Home renovators beware – shipping delays may lead to paint supplies drying up |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/124991846/home-renovators-beware--shipping-delays-may-lead-to-paint-supplies-drying-up |agency=Stuff Business |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=30 April 2021}}
Guthrie Bowron came second to Resene in the painting and home decorating category of the Reader's Digest customer service survey in 2021.{{cite news |title=Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2111/S00571/readers-digest-quality-service-awards.htm |agency=Reader's Digest |publisher=scoop.co.nz |date=22 November 2021}} It ranked first in the home furnishing category of the Canstar Blue customer satisfaction award in 2021;{{cite news |last1=Barratt |first1=Nicole |title=NZ’s Top Home Furnishing Store Revealed: Guthrie Bowron |url=https://www.canstarblue.co.nz/home-garden/home-furnishings/top-home-furnishing-guthrie-bowron/ |publisher=Canstar Blue |date=3 March 2021}} it came seventh in the same category in 2022.{{cite news |last1=Pitchers |first1=Bruce |title=Harrisons Curtains & Blinds: Best in Home Furnishings |url=https://www.canstarblue.co.nz/home-garden/home-furnishings/harrisons-curtains-blinds-best-in-home-furnishings/ |publisher=Canstar Blue |date=13 April 2022}}
Sponsorships
Guthrie Bowron stores have sponsored several public projects, including:
- the renovation of Nelson Rowing Club in 2020.{{cite news |title=Olympian rower Emma Twigg helps renovate Nelson club |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/300124305/olympian-rower-emma-twigg-helps-renovate-nelson-club |work=Nelson Mail |publisher=Stuff |date=5 October 2020}}
- a mural in Blenheim's Wairau Hospital paediatric ward in 2020.{{cite news |last1=Hart |first1=Maria |title=By children, for children: School art project brightens the walls at hospital ward |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/marlborough-top-stories/123165686/by-children-for-children-school-art-project-brightens-the-walls-at-hospital-ward |agency=Marlborough Express |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=22 October 2020}}
- the revamp of the Whangārei Art Museum in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Czerwonatis |first1=Julia |title=Immersive Whangārei virtual reality exhibition to lure visitors to revamped Art Museum |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/immersive-whangarei-virtual-reality-exhibition-to-lure-visitors-to-revamped-art-museum/ITO3YTWRVG5PJWMYMK3MZBDCKA/ |agency=Northern Advocate |publisher=New Zealand Media and Entertainment |date=18 December 2021}}
- a community project to remove graffiti from Te Kowhai township in 2022.{{cite news |last1=Rolleston |first1=Te Aorewa |title=Graffiti and dumping hit road a sore spot for Te Kowhai locals |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/300550203/graffiti-and-dumping-hit-road-a-sore-spot-for-te-kowhai-locals |work=Waikato Times |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=27 March 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{URL|https://www.guthriebowron.co.nz|Official website}}
{{Retailers in New Zealand}}
Category:Home improvement companies of New Zealand
Category:Companies based in Auckland