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Mortimer Hirst Eyecare & Eyewear is celebrating 75 years of clinical eyecare, a milestone built on a pioneering start. The practice grew out of a partnership between optometrist Douglas Mortimer and Eugene Hirst. In 1943, Hirst accepted a challenge from an Auckland ophthalmologist to make a contact lens for a patient with keratoconus. With no lathes available, he moulded the lens over a stone cast taken from an impression of the eye and shaped the optics by hand using small brass laps. It is recorded as the first contact lens made in New Zealand. That pioneering spirit shaped the decades that followed. Hirst Contact Lens manufactured hard and soft lenses in a laboratory that occupied three floors of the 9 High Street building until 1978,

Looking for easy, family-friendly ways to keep the kids entertained these school holidays? Takapuna has plenty of winter holiday fun to fill a morning, an afternoon, or a whole day out. From playground adventures and beach walks to sweet treats, shopping stops and cosy lunch spots, there’s something for every kind of school holiday mood. Use our handy list below for inspiration, or check out our activities page for even more fun things to do with the kids these holidays. Why not make a day of it? Start with a run around Takapuna Beach Playground, then warm up with lunch somewhere relaxed and whānau-friendly. Grab some fried chicken and a shake from Cousin Scott’s, or a burger from Benny’s Burgers, share some snacks or the

We’re bringing back our Takapuna Movie Date Nights, and giving you the chance to win tickets! We’ve teamed up with the wonderful crew at Takapuna Beachside Cinema to give away a WHOLE CINEMA of double-passes to some awesome movie screenings! All you need to do is REGISTER BELOW for the ballot, and you’re in the draw to win TWO TICKETS to that movie. If you’re drawn as a winner, you just need to head out for some dinner at a local Takapuna Beach eatery before the movie, then head to the cinema to claim your double-pass by showing us your receipt. There will be TWO movie screenings, and a new ballot will open for each individual screening. Recipients will be drawn at random the WEDNESDAY before the

NZ ICE CREAM & GELATO AWARDS TROPHIES SHOWCASE NEW TALENT AND CLASSIC FAVOURITES In a classic story, a new kid on the block and a long-lived favourite have taken top honours at the New Zealand Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2026 with two contrasting Supreme Champions crowned: a tiny suburban Auckland gelato shop that only opened its doors seven months ago and one of the country’s well-established ice cream makers. Joylato Blueberry Yoghurt Gelato was named Chelsea Sugar Supreme Boutique Champion, as well as collecting a further three trophies. Owner Esther Cai only opened the doors of the Joylato scoop shop on Hurstmere Road in Takapuna in January. Congratulations also to MooMii Gelato – based in Claw&Art at 21 Hurstmere Rd, their Golden Mango topped the dairy free category! At the other end of

Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday 6 September, which gives you just enough time to pretend you’ve had Dad’s day planned for weeks. Whether your Dad is happiest with a great steak and a cold beer, wants to get out and do something, could seriously use an hour to relax, or is notoriously difficult to buy for, Takapuna has plenty of ways to make a day of it. Here are a few of our picks for celebrating Dad, Grandad, stepdad, or whichever great father figure in your life, deserves a bit of spoiling this Father’s Day. Start the day with Brunch If Dad is firmly in the coffee first, conversation second camp, brunch is always a good place to start. For a relaxed morning

THANK YOU to everyone that shopped in Takapuna and entered the competition – we wish there were more prizes to give away, but we can’t wait to do it all again next year!  It’s with great pleasure that we can introduce our 2026 Shop and Win WINNERS … Congratulations to: Prue Tracy-Inglis won her and her husband a fabulous week’s getaway to Queensland’s Capricorn Coast after shopping at Farmers Takapuna!  $500 Shore City Shopping Spree winners: Vicki Arahovitis(shopped at Farmers Takapuna) Helen Wharehoka(shopped at Flying Saucers) One night’s stay at The Spencer Hotel: A very big thank you to our sponsors: Andy and the team at House of Travel Takapuna and our prize partners for putting together an absolutely incredible prize for us to giveaway. And

Check out the new eateries, stores and wellbeing hubs now open! The last few months have seen a serious influx of fresh talent to the North Shore. Check out these new hole-in-the-wall snack spots, design stores and spaces to unwind. And don’t miss the headline act: our own home of Southern US-style comfort food, complete with bar, dance floor and entertainment. Get your dance on: Goldie’s Bar and Yard Takapuna just got a massive dose of Southern soul. This is a modern honky-tonk serving up cocktails, ice-cold beers and comfort food with a serious kick. There’s live music and line dancing to turn the dance floor energy up. Find it: 138 Hurstmere Road Elevate your space: Kayu Studio A dedicated source for slow-made designs. Kayu

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED Shop local this June and July for your chance to win a Capricorn Coast escape for two. Shop in Takapuna this winter and you could be off on a sun-soaked Queensland getaway to the stunning Capricorn Coast. Simply spend $20 or more in one transaction at any participating Takapuna business between 1 June and 31 July 2026, receive your unique entry code, then enter online to go in the draw. One shop. One code. One chance to win. And the more you shop, the more chances you’ll have! Win a Capricorn Coast getaway for two: Your next shop in Takapuna could be your ticket to warm weather, coastal exploring, wildlife encounters, island time, cave adventures and plenty of moments that feel