When life deals you lemons, make lemonade: a business collapse led John to build a new, bigger business based on his passion for motorcycles
“I really want an old dairy factory”– that’s what John thought when contemplating the move from Katikati to Taranaki a few years ago.
He sat down after his divorce and thought: “What do I need for the rest of my life?
“Well, I need a shed, a bed in the corner, and a place to stuff around with my motorbikes.”
John’s search took him all over the North Island; he was looking for something that was cheap enough. It didn’t have to be flash, as he wanted a few bob to help his kids to get on the property ladder as well as to be able to follow his passion for building and customising motorbikes – something that he had been doing for a long time.
An old garage in Patea came into the picture but, although it met all the criteria, it became too complicated to purchase. Then an acquaintance told him of a house he had for sale in a small town a little further up the coast. In the end, that turned out to be the perfect location.”