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Gnomes Is Moving to Christchurch — Our Next Chapter
Gnomes Is Moving to Christchurch
For more than four decades, Gnomes has called Darfield home. What started in 1983 as a tiny specialist ski shop has grown into one of New Zealand’s most trusted destinations for ski boot-fitting, tuning, and expert advice. And after years of expanding, refining, and levelling up every part of the business, we’ve reached a milestone moment.
We’re excited to officially announce: Gnomes is moving to Christchurch.
This isn’t just a change of address — it’s a major step forward in how we serve skiers across Canterbury and New Zealand.
Why We’re Moving: Growing With Our Community
Over the years, we’ve expanded our boot-fitting lab, invested in a larger and more capable service centre, grown our rental range, and built one of the largest ski selections in the country. With every season, more skiers have trusted us with their boots, their gear, and their mountain days.
And with that growth came a simple realisation: we had outgrown our Darfield home.
To keep delivering the level of expertise and experience Gnomes is known for, we needed more space — and the right space — to support the future of the business.
Christchurch has always been where most of our customers live, ski, and shop. Moving closer to them means we can offer:
A larger, modern store with more room to try gear
A bigger boot-fitting and biomechanical analysis lab
More workshop capacity for tuning and repairs
Easier access for drop-offs, pick-ups, and rentals
Better visibility and connection within the Christchurch outdoor community
This move isn’t about changing who we are — it’s about giving skiers even more of what they already love.
The New Location: The Works, Waterloo Road, Islington
Our new home will be inside The Works, Christchurch’s heritage industrial redevelopment on Waterloo Road. The moment we stepped onto the site, we knew it was right.
It offers the best of both worlds:
Character + History — Original brickwork, steel beams, and industrial architecture that echo Canterbury’s engineering roots.
Modern Functionality — Big, open-plan spaces perfect for boot-fitting studios, tuning machinery, retail displays, and customer flow.
Easy Access — Minutes to the Southern Motorway, the airport, and unlimited parking. No more circling the block — just park, walk in, and get ready for snow.
A Destination Feel — The Works is becoming a hub of craft, design, and local businesses. We’re stoked to be part of a community that values quality, character, and hands-on expertise.
This isn’t a standard retail box. It’s a Gnomes-worthy building — full of story, grit, and personality.
A Store Designed for Skiers, By Skiers
Every inch of the new store is being designed around the experience we want skiers to have.
You can expect:
A purpose-built Boot Lab with more seats, more space, and more tech
A dedicated Workshop Zone with improved visibility and transparency — because we’re proud of our tuning.
A massively expanded Ski Wall so you can compare shapes, constructions, and categories
A smoother flow between rental, retail, and fitting
More room for families, race teams, and groups
A space that feels warm, character-filled, and unmistakably Gnomes.
Our goal is simple: to build the best ski shop in New Zealand, full stop.
Honouring Our Roots, Building Our Future
Leaving Darfield will be emotional. It’s where we learned, built, rebuilt, grew, and created a loyal community that we love deeply.
But the heart of Gnomes isn’t tied to a building — it’s the people who walk through the door.
And we’re bringing that heart with us.
This move allows us to:
Keep growing
Bring more experts onto the team
Offer better service
Support our race community
Expand our boot-fitting and biomechanical capabilities
Invest in world-class workshop technology
And continue raising the bar for retail ski service in NZ
The next era of Gnomes is about scaling up without losing who we are.
Opening Timeline
We’re aiming to open the new Christchurch flagship in April 2026 — perfectly timed for the winter season.
Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes updates, fit-out progress, and a few surprises along the way.
Looking Ahead: The Next Era of Gnomes
As we prepare for this move, we’re focused on building a space that supports the future of Gnomes — a place where we can continue to grow, innovate, and deliver the level of expertise skiers expect from us.
And in even more good news — many of you will recognise a familiar face.
Andrew is returning to Gnomes after four years overseas in the U.S. snow-sports industry, bringing fresh experience and the same passion for helping skiers ski better. We’re stoked to have him back as part of our team as we take this next step.
Thank You
To our Darfield community: thank you for supporting us for more than 40 years.
To our Christchurch customers: we can’t wait to have you closer.
And to all skiers across NZ: this next step is for you.
Gnomes has always been about helping people ski better and enjoy the mountains more.
Now we get to do that with a space worthy of the passion we bring to it.
See you soon in Christchurch — the next chapter starts here.
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