26 Feature
thought being free from that and changing
the options or at least providing several
options was much more interesting,” Haydn
says.
“It seemed natural to do that with the beers,
we’re spoilt for choice with beers in New
Zealand, we’re constantly getting new beers
available so why not showcase them,” he
adds.
Their beer and coffee comes from all over
the country, and their food menu lends itself
well to the concept, utilising local nearby
restaurants.
Options include dumplings from Lemongrass,
tacos from Cartel, tikka kebabs from Village
India, pizza from Pizza Hut, chips and gravy
from Master Roasts, and pies and paninis
from an alternating range of local bakers.
“It was just a way to keep things simple …
we just ring them up and either they bring it
round or we go and grab it,” Haydn says.
They also offer a cheese platter to share,
while sweets from Snowdog Confectionery
are a staple in the cabinet.
Terri Hendriks, who owns Snowdog
Confectionery, has been working with Haydn,
Nikky and the 5 Tapped team since day one.
“I had just finished up my old job and I was
doing bits and pieces of contracting work …
I met Haydn through a mutual friend and he
mentioned this place.
“I came by a few times while he was setting
up and had a chat about what his plans were
and where I could fit in and if I wanted to and
it just fit,” Terri says.
She bakes cookies for 5 Tapped Bar in her
registered kitchen at home each week,
delivering them so that people have the
option of having a sweet treat with their
coffee.
From time to time she creates desserts for
dessert nights at the bar, and has recently
begun baking cupcakes for the bar each
Friday for ‘cupcake Friday’.
She does all of this while also fulfilling her
home orders for cupcakes and cakes, which
are becoming increasingly popular for
workshouts and birthdays.
With a ‘zero waste’ philosophy and a
commitment to sourcing her ingredients as
locally as she can, Terri’s business ideals align
well with those of Haydn and Nikky’s, and
5 Tapped has been a good space for her to
showcase her work, she says.
“It’s just a mutual relationship, I bring in
different customers and he offers different
customers to me, it’s the same with the
barber as well; people come in for a haircut
and they have never been here before.”
That barbershop, Creatures of Habit, is home
to barber Aaron Nott.
Like Haydn, Aaron saw Creatures of Habit as
an opportunity to pursue the best bits of his
work while leaving behind the aspects he
didn’t enjoy so much at his previous salon,
Scissorsaurus Rex.
Being a barber and accepting only walk-in
appointments means he’s not tied to the
phone or left out of pocket by clients who
turn up late or forget their appointments
completely.
After closing up at Scissorsaurus Rex and
leaving town to travel without any set plans
to return, Aaron was approached by Haydn
who floated the idea of setting up a salon at
5 Tapped.
He took up the offer in October of last year.
“It all just came together and made sense for
me to come and do this, it was something
Blenheim needed … towards the end of
Scissorsaurus Rex I thought I have got to do
something new.
“I took everything away that I don’t enjoy
and I kept the stuff I do like; I love coming to
work now.”
Having the option to encourage his clients
to grab a beer or a coffee from 5 Tapped
while they wait is a concept which has been
beneficial to both businesses, Aaron says.
“I’m so glad the Council gave [Haydn and
Nikky] a break, because I know a lot of people
have tried to do something in Blenheim and
have been put through the ringer for it, but
Haydn has got all the skills he needed to do
it and get it going and it just works so well
together … we’ve become really good friends
through it,” he says.