Visiting Flux at the Mount: A Homewares Stop on Maunganui Road

Summer at the Mount has a rhythm of its own. Swim at Main Beach first thing, walk the base track or climb Mauao before it gets too hot, then wander up Maunganui Road for coffee and a look through the shops. Flux Boutique was founded in 2013, and every summer brings new faces through the door.

If you are planning a visit, here is what you will find.

Where to find us, and when

Flux Boutique is at 270 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui. We are open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, and closed on Sundays. Hours can change over public holidays, so if you are visiting between Christmas and New Year, check our website before you come.

What is in the shop

Flux is a homewares and lifestyle store. The range covers fragrance and bodycare, faux flowers and plants, vases and ceramics, clocks, books, stationery, soft furnishings and gifts. The look is calm and coastal, with a lean towards pale timber, linen, stone and white, the kind of pieces that suit a Bay of Plenty home in the middle of summer.

Some of the brands you will find include the New Zealand fragrance houses Ecoya and The Aromatherapy Co, Karlsson clocks from the Netherlands, Write To Me journals and Emma Kate Co stationery, along with a wide range of faux flowers, stems, vases and ceramics.

Small things that travel well

If you are visiting from out of town, and especially if you are heading back to a ship or a flight, you will want gifts that are light and easy to pack. These are the ones we would suggest.

Perfume oils. The roll-on bottles from The Perfume Oil Company are small, light and easy to slip into a bag. SANTAL is a favourite with people who love a warm, woody scent.

Hand cream. A tube of Ecoya Fragranced Hand Cream is a gift from a New Zealand brand that fits in any suitcase. If you are flying, check the liquids rules for your cabin bag.

Stationery and journals. Flat and light, and lovely to give. The One Line a Day Five-Year Memory Book is a thoughtful way to start recording a year that included a trip to New Zealand.

A single faux stem. A faux flower travels better than a fresh one ever could. A single Petite Hydrangea Stem can be wrapped and laid flat in a suitcase, then reshaped when you get home.

Gift wrapping, on us

We offer complimentary gift wrapping, so if you are buying for someone at home, you can leave with it ready to give. If something you love is too large to carry, you can also order online, gift wrapped if you like, and we will send it to you within New Zealand.

Why a visit is worth it

You can buy from us online, and many of our customers do. But there is something about seeing a candle's colour in real light, feeling the weight of a stone tray or the texture of a linen quilt, that a screen cannot give you. In the shop you can also ask questions, compare scents side by side and see how pieces work together.

Shopping locally also keeps a street like Maunganui Road alive. We wrote about why that matters in Why Your Choice to Shop Small Matters More Than You Think.

If you cannot make it in this summer, our Gift Edit is a good place to start browsing online.

In essence

Flux Boutique is a homewares and lifestyle store at 270 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui, founded in 2013. It is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, and closed on Sundays, with hours that may change over public holidays. The shop stocks fragrance and bodycare, faux flowers and plants, vases, clocks, books, stationery, soft furnishings and gifts, including Ecoya, The Aromatherapy Co, Karlsson, Write To Me and Emma Kate Co. For visitors, perfume oils, hand creams, journals and single faux stems are light and easy to pack. Complimentary gift wrapping is available in store and online, and orders can be sent within New Zealand.