Paua pies, fire engines & community vibes - Rachael Thomas

0:00This is a podcast from Rover. I'm looking forward to this one. Rachel Thomas is our next guest. She's got a store at Tupea Spring North of Gisborne. Apparently it's famous for its pies and its KFC, not the kind you're thinking of. That stands for Kai for coasters. There's a big focus on the community there as well. And my producer Joe Grig was on a bit of a road a year a week or so ago and she turned up there and said you must talk to Rachel Thomas so we thought why not and it's lovely to have you on. How are you Rachel? I'm really good. Thanks for having me. No worries at all. How long have you had the store there at Tupea Springs? About 13 years and I had a bit of a gap when I went down and built KFA-35 and took a muddy bay 10k further down the road and then bailed out of the air and retreated back here. Now Tupea Springs, that's just north of Gisborne, right? North of Gisborne, that's correct, about just about 100k. Okay, so yeah, it's a say famous for its pies

1:02and the Kai for coasters. So what do you sell there? It's a bit of an old general store so we've got a petrol that's a big topic right now. It sell loads and loads of hot food. Right down to a stamp, right down to what else can you get here? A birthday candle if you need one, but of everything. Okay, so you mentioned the fuel. We might as well just dive straight into that. What sort of impact is that having? And I suppose you know, in a reasonably sort of an isolated part of the country, is that right? Yeah, we're pretty isolated. It's definitely impacted us. I had a meeting with one of the big guys from where I get my fuel from and he said, you know, there is rationing going on. He said, yeah, unfortunately, because we're so far away, we do have to do a pay for it to get your cartridge.

2:02So that's gone up. I'm sort of keeping a close eye on it. I'm already noticing people coming in and buying extra. It used to be $20, it's now 30. Had a bit of a drive off the other day. Luckily, it was only $40. So I'm keeping a real close eye on that. Someone down the road was siphoned. And I hear that through the bush they've got security guards on their vehicles and all that sort of stuff to keep things safe. So all that's going to come into play, I believe. Yeah, I think you're right, actually. So yeah, it's a bit of chaos at the moment, eh? A bit of chaos. And really a lot of uncertainty and, you know, people are sort of, yeah, that's sort of not knowing where it's going to go to. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Well, and I suppose then, you know, all the stuff that you get deliveries and stuff as well, you're going to keep everything stopped up. There'll be an impact there, I imagine. Yeah, that's a bit of an issue. I'm sort of like, I don't know, I don't know if people know I'm a bit of a doomsday proper.

3:02And I'm actually bought a property out at Portuck a few years back, like, waiting out. And I gave up on that dear. But anyway, still in me. So I'm sort of keeping a close eye and I do see things going up. And so I'm talking to my delivery people, that's saying instead of them coming two weeks now, it's probably going to be one week. You know, some of my deliveries come from Hawke's Bay. So is that going to even be viable for them to keep coming? So it's like just looking at what the new future is going to look like really. And trying to be ahead of the game. You know, it's funny, the doomsday prepper, that I don't look so silly these days today. People have laughed at me for years. But, you know, through Gabriel, they were pretty happy. I was a prepper then. Yeah, mate, exactly right. That's the thing. There's always going to be something that happens in hey, I mean, people call it doomsday preppers or whatever and a negative kind of thing around it. Yeah, exactly. Just being, yeah, that's right.

4:02Just planning for, you know, unforeseen circumstances, which isn't a, that's not a silly thing to do. It's not silly, like, I'm sort of, you know, I'm sort of seeing that people aren't going to be able to go to town as often as they could now. So they're going to run out of a lot of things. I'm a dairy. I'm a convenience store. So I'm starting to get things in that. I know that they're going to need. So I'm going to turn into my little business. I'm going to try and do a little mini, you know, binning sort of things. So it'll be cheap for everybody. So that's what I'm going. I'm looking at things like that. I mean, if it's going to be up to $5 a liter, who's going to come in and buy a coffee? No one. You know, they're going to be more inclined to get a bag of sugar. Yeah, you're right, exactly right. And that's one of the things that, again, my producer Joe was talking about is the fact that you've got a big focus on the community. And I suppose for, you know, an area like that, and there's millions of them around New Zealand that, you know, it's a, it's a good thing. And so, I'm so, so fortunate.

5:04Like, I'm, I just get to really enjoy my job. Like, I'm part of this community. They're part of me. And we're just, and it sounds stupid, but we are really just all far know. And we just help each other out when we can. Obviously, just, just managed to get this little car. And it's a real cheap little ugly little thing. No one want to be seen in it. But here's the thing I said to a couple of girls, you aren't going to be able to go to Kuang or any more. You're going to get your kids 10k down the road twice a day. You know, let's get this community car going. We'll all put in for it. You know, if you need to go 10k, we'll all be in, I'm looking at getting as many people as we can, involved in some sort of check thing. And then it might be, I'm going to Victoria. Well, I need this. So, that's what I'm looking to try and do for our community. And we'll all benefit from it. I love it. I think that's a great idea. Now, the other thing about it as well, you mentioned you've got a little group there

6:04with just the carpool and whatever. But your social media is pretty fun, actually. I had a good look. And yeah, you've got a lot of energy, a lot of spirit there. I've got to say. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I just think it's about staying positive. We've had loads. And going forward, we're going to have loads more other things happen. I mean, look, we can sit and focus. And I did. I focus for a couple of weeks just glued to my phone thinking, this is like, come on, we can't change it. How do we just go forward and stay positive then? That's all we can do. Exactly. Well said. A good breath of fresh air. I like that, Rachel. I'm talking to so many people at the moment that, you know, there's doom and gloom out there. But, as you say, you know, in a place like, to pull your springs or anywhere we are and you see them, what can we do? We can only just, you know, play what's in front of us really, eh? Exactly. Enjoy what we do, have not what we don't. Well said. Speaking of what people enjoy there now, you've got some legendary pies, as I understand.

7:04For example, a power pie, seaweed and bacon. Yeah. So these aren't traditional pies, but they sound bloody good. You got to do something a little bit different than no one's doing. So, you know, the seaweed pie is paring war. Paring war bacon and butter. It's really good. Yeah, that's, that's different. We're doing, sort of trialing a few other pies out at the moment. We're doing a smoked fish one. We've got, I did do a pukku hippie pie now. I don't know if you know what pukku hippie is. It's sheep's guts. And I tell you what, cooked in slow, cooked slowly and onions with white sauce, honestly. It's so good, but can't get them anymore. Still trying, but you've got to just try and just do new things, you know? Yeah. Yeah, no, I think it's great. And they sound amazing, actually. So you have someone on site that does these? Yeah, yeah. I make them here every day. You make them? Yeah. Legend.

8:04Yeah. Up very early. Good on you. Yeah. Where do you get all the idea for these different sort of pies? Oh, I sort of, when I go to town, it's obviously about an hour and a half and you're sort of daydreaming, but you're always thinking. And I'm always thinking, look, you know, what else can I do for my business? I love my business. And I just, I love people coming in and just watching them at the warmer and going, whoa, whoa, you know? And we're in the middle of nowhere. Like, yeah, I'm like, yeah, what do you expect? You know, like, you know, especially people from big cities, like they're blowing away. And I love that. We're so different. And so, yeah, I sort of came up with a seaweed pie, the pudding of pie on my way to town. One day, I had some pudding on my fridge. I was like, yeah, I can't wait to eat that. And then I was like, oh, yeah, I'm going to put it in a pie. Yeah. And it's been off. I love that. That's brilliant. So, um, and the, yeah, the KFC idea, Ky for coasters as well,

9:04that's pretty cool. So is that basically we're talking about the pies there, or you got some other sort of weird and wonderful things that you were concoct? Um, so the Ky for coasters, actually, yeah, Ky for coasters. Oh, I like coasters. Yeah, okay. Yeah, um, so back in the day, when I first came, yeah, I was like, I need a name. I need a name. I need a real cool catchy name. I'll call it KFC. I was like, oh, now I'm going to get a real big trouble here. I was like, I can't real. I called Ky for coasters. So, um, it's Ky for coasters. Um, people have come in and said, got a big bucket. Yeah. So, no, no, definitely not. Not that sort of, yeah, but he's Ky for coasters. Like, you'll come into the shop and we've got raw fish. We've got kangawatu, you know. Um, we've got all, you know, I try to get kinnis and all that, when I can, to really try and give everybody a feed of what they'd have if they were coming home, um, you know, to your, to your nans and parts and you open their fridge and that's what you're going to eat. That's the sort of aim that I like to try and do. Yeah, that's a good explanation for that sounds bang on, actually.

10:06So, um, tell me you also, you brought a fire truck. Why, why did you buy a fire truck? Wait, wouldn't you buy a fire truck? Who can say the bone one of them? Fair question. And, and it was a deal. Like, I'm a bit of a hustler wheeler and dealer always looking for the next deal. How can I make some money? You know, it doesn't have to just be in the shop. Um, so, yeah, I found this fire engine border and I, this great vision that I was going to turn it into a, um, hire it out for birthday parties. No one's got water up on the coast, so it's quite a, it's quite rare at summer. I was like, who wouldn't want a higher fire truck with heaps of water and it, because it holds water and we'll do a slide. And then someone says, oh, no, you know, you're going to, you know, all the safety stuff is, oh, shit, no. Okay, that's got to be sold. So, I've sold it. Oh, you've sold the fire truck. Yeah, but I wish I hadn't now because I could have probably bought, bought, bought, pennant bought some fuel and stole it in there. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Yeah. It's funny, but, uh, yeah. I mean, we do love a rule in New Zealand, don't we?

11:07So, uh, yeah, it's a bit of a shame because, uh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I saw a cup of the post with the fire truck in there as well. What have been a hurt? Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Because as you say, who the hell owns a fire truck that's not, uh, the fire department? Pretty much nobody. Yeah. That's right. And imagine it up the coast where, you know, everyone's struggling. You know, you don't flush the chain all the time. The water is, is so scarce. And here's the kids having a mean as water slide. What have been called? Yeah, what have been. But, hey, you know, you gave it a nudge, so that's all good. Um, who your main set of customers are up and around there. Obviously people passing through, but, um, locals, uh, what do you got shepherds, loggers, these sorts of people? Um, so I think you did a podcast with one of the farmers out at Puke Turo. We, um, we, we have a few farms that, um, use our shop. Um, we have a lot of loggers that come in that are still doing the logs. Um, people all around the coast come in on their way to town to get a, get a feed before they get to, and I love that. Now, that's something about my guy, you know, if they're not waiting to get to town

12:11and they come here, that, that's a pretty, that's a pretty huge, you know, that's, that's pretty cool. It's a bloody good endorsement that is, that's for sure. Yeah, yeah, good on you. Um, that's great. So, um, yeah, so what's, uh, what's next for you? Just keep, keep hustling. Oh, man, the hustle's real. I'm about to put up some hitching rails and, hey, this is what I did do. I went out and bought an electric lawnmower because I believe I'm going to hire that out soon. Yeah, right. Good call. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, what is it with this chaos? There's opportunity. I love that. Yeah, you're bang on with it. Good on you. Well, you're doing a great thing. Um, where can people follow you? Um, on my Facebook page, I'm not really, um, too savvy on the old internet, but I managed to, I figured out how to do Facebook. So, yeah, to jump on my Facebook page, it would be really cool. Like and follow it. It's all about that now, nowadays. Yeah. And free advertising with people like you wanting to have a year. Let's go and thank you. It's been my absolute pleasure. I think you're a breath of fresh air and it's been bloody good to talk with you. So thank you so much, Rachel.

13:11You're welcome. Thank you.