Selwyn Mall and Thirty Nine retail centres are both owned by a family trust with longstanding ties to the Bay of Islands. Local residents, Jeanie and Kip Mobley, manage the properties.
Jeanie, whose family began visiting the Bay of Islands in the early 1930s, grew up in the holiday village of Paihia during the 1950s and 60s. Few commercial interests outside of a dairy, the post office, a grocery store, a school, RSA hall, and the Fuller’s ferry ticket office, existed in Central Paihia (Horotutu) then.
Selwyn Mall is located on Selwyn Road, which was named after Bishop George Augustus Selwyn who was consecrated as the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand. He arrived in the Bay of Islands in June 1842 after a six month journey from England. Eight shops make up Selwyn Mall. They include the only 24/7 self-serve Laundromat in central Paihia. Street parking is available on Selwyn Road and public conveniences are situated around the corner just one minute walk away next to the larger Williams Road public carpark.
Thirty Nine is less than a three minute walk from the wharf down Williams Road. The street is named after another notable missionary, Rev. Henry Williams, who arrived in the Bay of Islands in 1823 and had a crucial role in the Treaty of Waitangi. Thirty Nine accommodates six retail/business spaces of varying sizes and service types. It is situated directly opposite Paihia’s public carpark. Street parking is also available and long term on-site private parking is provided for tenants.
As a local family business, Jeanie and Kip lease first to those businesses which provide for locals and offer the service-friendly shopping that New Zealanders grew up with. They also encourage a community sense of spirit with neighbouring non-tenant businesses, engendering a friendly and memorable shopping experience for locals and tourists alike.
