It might be Queenstown’s best-kept secret — but not for long.
Bin Inn, a wholefood and specialty grocery store, which encourages the use of reusable
plastics, has opened in Frankton’s The Landing.
Owner Richard Clifton says the store, beside Girl Next Door Fashion, quietly opened last
Monday, but they’re still stocking shelves.
‘‘The feedback’s been good, but the volume of people coming in is pretty low … I think we’re a bit of a secret still,’’ he says.
Clifton and his late wife, Lynn, ran a pet food business in Auckland which had a focus on
sustainable practices and species-appropriate prey.
‘‘We effectively paid hunters to shoot rabbit, hare, possum, wallaby.
‘‘We were harvesting pests off the land, and were serving it up as pet food.’’
The couple had a holiday home in Hawea and wanted to relocate, hence opening the Queenstown Bin Inn.
Ironically, Clifton understands a pet shop’s to open next door.
He’s hoping the resort’s Bin Inn will help promote sustainable shopping practices and limit the use of single-use plastics.
If customers bring in their own containers to fill, they’ll get a 5% discount on the bulk items, and if they spend over $50, they’ll get 10% off.
‘‘That’s how the group encourages the use of people using their own containers.
‘‘But if they don’t have their own containers, they can purchase glass containers in store, or they can use the paper bags that we have.’’
The store carries a range of products including home-brewing kits, baking essentials, keto items, vegan and gluten-free products and several international items.
