Salt of Earth began exactly where you might expect a good story to begin—on a month-long trip to Bali.
Somewhere between beach clubs, morning coffees, massages, and long conversations about life, we found ourselves at a family beach club called Mrs. Sippy. It was there, in one of those rare moments where life slowed down, that we looked at each other and thought, what if we did this ourselves?
Retail had always been part of our lives, just in different ways.
I'm Brooke, with a background in fashion retail, pattern making, and garment design. I've always loved helping people feel confident through beautiful, well-made clothing. My sister, Ange, took a different path—from hairdressing, to running her own salon, to hosting an Airbnb, before discovering her love for pottery and handmade homewares. She creates beautiful clay vessels by hand and has spent the last few years immersed in home and lifestyle retail.
Different backgrounds, the same dream.
By the time we boarded the plane home, we'd made one of the biggest decisions of our lives—we were both ready to leave our jobs and build something of our own.
Within a week of landing back in Gisborne, we'd resigned. We'd viewed the shop twice, collected the keys almost overnight, and gave ourselves just one month to transform an empty space into Salt of Earth.
It was a whirlwind.
The floors were replaced, walls were painted, shelving was built, and our front counter was hand-plastered by us. Every spare moment was spent bringing our vision to life, and what started as an empty space slowly became everything we'd imagined.
Our philosophy is simple:
Live intentionally.
We believe shopping should feel slower. More thoughtful. Less about chasing trends, and more about surrounding yourself with pieces you'll love for years to come.
That's why we carefully curate small collections rather than endless shelves. We partner with brands that value quality craftsmanship, sustainability, timeless design, and genuine connection. Alongside beautiful New Zealand labels, we're incredibly excited to introduce several Australian brands to New Zealand for the first time through our little store in Gisborne.
Keeping our collections intentionally small allows us to reduce waste, lower our footprint, and encourage more mindful consumption. We don't believe more is always better—we believe in choosing well.
More than anything, we hope Salt of Earth becomes somewhere people can pause.
A place to wander without rushing.
A place to find something meaningful.
A place that reminds you to slow down, appreciate the little things, and leave feeling just a little more inspired than when you arrived.
As locals ourselves, opening our doors in Gisborne felt like the natural choice. We wanted to contribute to our community, support the growth of our town centre, and create another welcoming place alongside the many incredible locally owned businesses that make our town special.
Looking ahead, we dream of continuing to grow alongside our community. We'd love to host workshops, creative evenings, and gatherings that bring people together, and one day introduce our own collection designed in-house.
None of this would've been possible without the people who believed in us from the very beginning.
Our family and friends gave up evenings and weekends to paint walls, lay flooring, build shelving, and help transform an empty shop into the space you see today. Every helping hand has become part of Salt of Earth's story.
And a special mention has to go to Ange's husband. They say marrying a builder has its perks... and we'd have to agree. He turned countless ideas into reality with patience, skill, and more hard work than we'll ever be able to repay. We honestly couldn't have done it without him.
But above everyone else, there's one person we simply couldn't tell this story without—our mum.
From the very beginning, she encouraged us to dream bigger than we thought possible. She believed in us long before we fully believed in ourselves, and through every stage of life she quietly made sacrifices so that we could have opportunities she simply wanted for her girls.
She taught us resilience, kindness, independence, and the value of working hard for something you believe in. She showed us what strength looks like, and because of her, we've grown into the women we are today.
Salt of Earth may be our dream, but it's built on the foundation she spent years creating for us. We hope this little store reflects everything she worked so hard to give us—a life filled with opportunity, purpose, and the confidence to chase what sets our hearts on fire.
Mum, thank you for every sacrifice, every word of encouragement, every late-night phone call, and every ounce of love you've poured into us. We hope we've made you proud. This dream is ours, but it exists because you believed we could achieve it.
For now, we're simply grateful.
Grateful that one conversation in Bali turned into something real.
Grateful for everyone who has believed in us.
And grateful that you're here, becoming part of our story.
Welcome to Salt of Earth.
With love,
Brooke & Ange