Pete's Emporium in Porirua is one of Wellington's favourite places to hunt for the useful, the unusual and the fun. Locally owned and operated, and part of a large network of emporiums across New Zealand, this Parumoana Street store packs party supplies, fancy dress, fabric, crafts, tools, fishing gear and gifts under a single, very full roof.
The store is known first for fancy dress: over 300 different wigs in stock, more than 180 styles of costumes for kids and adults, over 180 hat styles and over 70 flags from around the world. Around them sits everything a celebration needs, whether it's a children's party, an adult party, Halloween, Christmas, a school ball or a themed event.
Beyond the party shelves, Pete's is a haberdashery, craft shop and hardware store in one — colourful fabrics, buttons, lace, zips and ribbons, art and craft supplies, fishing equipment, tools, paint and castor wheels, plus toys, stationery, gifts and the odd mystery box. Customers call it a real cool, quirky place that has 'everything, literally everything', with very helpful staff and a knack for bringing out your inner child.
Step through the doors of Pete's Emporium on Parumoana Street in Porirua and it's easy to see why people call it a place to get lost in. This is not a store with a single purpose — it's a genuine emporium, a treasure box of ideas where party supplies, wigs, fabric, craft goods, tools and fishing gear share the same shelves, and where almost nobody leaves with just the one thing they came for.
Pete founded Pete's Emporium with a simple goal: to have something useful or interesting for everyone. Locally owned and operated, the store is part of a large network of emporiums across New Zealand, which means it can draw on a wide circle of suppliers to keep its shelves stocked with interesting and useful goods. The Porirua shop is one of two in the Wellington region — its sibling sits on High Street in Lower Hutt — and both have become favourite hunting grounds for gift-seekers, makers and party planners.
If there's one thing Pete's Emporium is known for, it's fancy dress. The store carries over 300 different wigs, more than 180 styles of fancy dress costumes for kids and adults, and over 180 styles of hats — plus over 70 flags from all around the world. Whether it's a children's birthday, an adult party, Halloween, Christmas, a school ball or a themed event, the aim is simple: take the worry out of party planning by having the attire and supplies in one place.
The store even publishes a calendar of important dates for shoppers — Valentine's Day, Anzac Day, Independence Day, Mid-Winter Xmas, Guy Fawkes on 5 November, Halloween on 31 October and the December rush of work Christmas parties — a reminder that there's always a reason locals are planning something.
Haberdashery is where Pete's earns a second kind of loyalty. The fabric and crafts side of the store stocks a colourful, quality range of fabrics and materials with all the right supplies to go with them: buttons, lace, zips, ribbons, scrapbooking papers, artificial flowers, and art and craft supplies for all purposes. Want to create your own outfit instead of buying one ready-made? This is where locals start. Cake decorating goods round out the craft offering, so homemade celebration cakes are covered too.
Just when you think you've mapped the store, it surprises you. The hardware and fishing section stocks an amazing range of fishing supplies, tools, paint, castor wheels and casters, along with screws, nuts, bolts, kitchen supplies and garden accessories. Then there are the things that defy categorising — hats, t-shirts, stationery, parasols, toys, cards and, in the store's own words, 'something in a box that we are not sure what it is'. Pete's Emporium is also a great place to find that perfect gift, with options for many people all under one roof.
Customer reviews capture the vibe well. 'Real cool quirky place! Has everything, literally everything,' is one typical verdict. Others mention loving the variety of stock — material, papers, artificial flowers, party costumes and decorations, hardware, gifts, kitchenware, cake decorating goods and art supplies — and note that 'it's interesting what you find if you muck around.' The staff come in for repeated praise as well: very helpful and extremely lovely, according to long-time shoppers.
That quirkiness is deliberate. Pete's Emporium describes itself as a place that can bring out your inner child, and browsing it is closer to exploring a large attic of possibilities than working through a catalogue. You might come in for a wig and walk out with ribbon, a castor wheel, a flag and a parasol. That's the point.
Pete's Emporium Porirua is at 2 Parumoana Street, Porirua 5022. You can reach the store on 04 237 9860 or by email at [email protected] — the team invites questions and will get back to you. The website doesn't publish opening hours, so it's worth ringing ahead to confirm times before a special trip. And if you're closer to the Hutt Valley, remember there's a second Pete's Emporium at 541 High St, Lower Hutt.