Amy from Addie & Lou joins us on Recorded at Red Nine to share the real story behind building a boutique retail business.
From growing up in Kaikōura and working as a radiographer, to opening a homewares store that now has locations in both Kaikōura and Christchurch, Amy’s journey is full of lessons, risks and a few hilarious mistakes along the way.
Including the time she accidentally ordered $17,000 worth of candles.
We talk about:
• Starting a retail business with no formal business experience
• The early mistakes every founder makes
• Why the Addie & Lou café was never part of the original plan
• The reality of running a retail store during tough economic times
• Learning about margins, stock and imports the hard way
• And the unexpected stories that come with running a business
Recorded at Red Nine is a podcast exploring the stories of the people building businesses across Canterbury and beyond.
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🎙 Hosted by Andy Rowe
📍 Recorded at Red Nine Studios – Christchurch
🌍 Businesses Building Canterbury
CHAPTERS
01:44 Why They Had a Wedding in Bali
03:24 What Is Addie & Lou?
04:48 Rebranding the Store in 4 Days
05:51 Starting a Business Just Before COVID
06:56 Growing Up Working on a Farm
08:05 Why She Started the Business
09:17 What Addie & Lou Actually Is
10:41 Opening the Christchurch Store
12:29 The Cafe That Was Never the Plan
14:09 Lessons from Running a Business
15:30 The $17,000 Candle Order
17:39 Learning Business the Hard Way
20:17 How Retail Buying Works
21:17 Are They in the Black or the Red?
22:15 The Catfish Dating Story
26:19 Meeting Her Partner Dan
27:22 Moving Into Wholesale
28:51 Where to Find Addie & Lou
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