This is not a gift guide
Plus: Crushes, convertibles and evening coffee.
Crust is a weekly newsletter on taste and culture from Tāmaki Makaurau.
Hello. I have bought only one Christmas present so far and really need to work out what else I’m getting. Throwing together a gift guide probably would have helped, but I didn’t; no affiliate links to be found here, just some vague ideas, and a few stray thoughts about presents. This week I chatted to Rose Hope about Crushes moving to a bigger, bolder space. And speaking of shopping, at the bottom of this newsletter you’ll find some markets, pop-ups and online archive sales.
There’s a glut of gift guides out there. Not that I need to tell you — they’re inescapable. Each cheerful inventory of commercial ambition is carefully justified by the rarity, price or provenance of the items within, while the ostensible intention of a gift guide slyly dodges questions of frivolity, necessity and consumption. These are negated, in theory, by veneers of generosity and thoughtfulness, supplemented by a patriotic mindset of supporting the economy. (It’s territory where, even if you’re the minister of finance, you’ll likely avoid accusations of wasteful spending).
That said, shopping from independent local businesses can make a tangible difference, especially after such a rough year. Charlotte Muru-Lanning has canvassed a wide range in her thoughtful Kirihimete guide.
Others focus on higher ticket items, or bargains. Every publisher has a different focus, various pressures and, for some, an image to maintain. Who reads them all? For some, it’s an exercise in voyeurism and fantasy. Imagine what kind of household gifts and wears a $4000 cashmere robe, deserving of only the most premium stains, or a Prada yoga mat for around the same price?
Perhaps under the veil of “gift guides” people are really just shopping for themselves, enjoying the novelty of a shopping edit that’s not, for once, in the style of “get the look” or “best white sneakers” (both formats are symptoms of the current paradigm’s reliance on digital distribution and digestibility.) The whole gift guide industry has risen in lockstep with the affiliate link economy. This underpins shopping Substacks and bolsters the challenged revenue of traditional media titles in their digital era. Everyone’s got their hand in the box of chocolate-covered almonds.
Gift guides, done properly, take a huge amount of work to put together. I’ve done them, and it’s a complicated slog of covering all your bases, finding a hook, capturing a range of prices and brands, then checking things you chose were still in stock at publishing time (tricky with small-run indie brands and limited-edition items). I asked a couple of media people how they felt about the whole thing. One described gift guides as mandatory content in lifestyle media. “Which is weird because I’ve never bought something from a gift guide and wonder if anyone else has?” But they’re fun to put together. “I did enjoy them, but happy not to do them now,” another told me. “And I personally don’t look at gift guides.”
Neither. I rarely use them, preferring instead to rely on the whims of the universe and my immediate surroundings to source gifts from, usually closer to Christmas than I’d like to admit.
If I had my shit together, I would have spent the year hunting down old copies of people’s favourite books (something Kaitlin Phillips, queen of the gift guide, frequently recommends). One day, I may be organised enough to find an old copy of Dispatches or Blood Meridian for Vinnie. Books make good presents! (I wish I could give everyone I know copies of A Month In The Country.) For the disorganised or eleventh-hour shoppers, thank god for stores like Lamplight, the Women’s Bookshop and Unity Books. And while I did visit the latter last Sunday, it was an activity of self-interest, to buy Hoods Landing and Delerious New Lynn. They’d both be good gifts actually.
The best presents are personal. Everyone, it seems, is craving intimacy of one form or another. Fragrance is a good medium for this, if that’s your goal. Perfume anoints the flesh, travels with you. It’s also one of the few things that have, so far, evaded accurate capture in the simulacrum of our digital world. Giving someone a fragrance says, “I know you”. It’s a calculated risk, but the payoff is huge. The best kind are niche or rarified, but anything is a good idea for someone at a nexus point or new chapter. Christmas is, after all, a time marker. How do you do that justice? (You can’t really.)
For the neurotic, gifting carries a weight of social value; how much is someone worth to you? Presents also come with an anxiety of reciprocity. If you don’t want the other person to make assumptions about your relationship or run the risk of overstepping or falling short, fancy perishables are a safe bet. They also solve the quandary of burdensome gifting. The last thing I want to do is give someone more stuff! Everyone feels weighed down by their possessions already, even the most treasured ones. With pantry basics increasing in price, “fancy food” is the kind of luxury we don’t always afford ourselves. I’m talking really nice olive oil, saffron and vanilla beans, a big tub of Maldon, things of that ilk. That, or something that burns into oblivion. Candles and incense, ephemeral and intimate.
But the thing with a really, really good gift is that it gives you the chance to truly perceive people — if that’s your thing — and view them in a way they don’t even see themselves. Or maybe you can do that next year.
Karangahape Road boutique Crushes has moved a few doors down, taking over the historic spot on the Pitt Street corner that, once upon a time, housed Leo O’Malley. A bigger space means more opportunities — critical for retail audience building — and their loyal clientele should be excited. So should anyone else who hasn’t visited before. I asked owner Rose Hope what it means for the businesses.
Emma: Okay, what’s happening with Crushes?
Rose: Crushes has been going for almost 15 years. In that time, we moved from a little terrace shop’s sun room, to a three-story Karangahape store, and now, we have just moved to a space six times bigger: the iconic corner spot on Karangahape and Pitt that housed Leo O’Malley’s for almost a century. It feels less like a step up, and more like a step out: in to all the areas we have been exploring with limitation, like events, workshops, pop-ups and exhibitions. All alongside our offerings of 100% New Zealand-made, vintage and slow fashion.
Emma: Why did you decide to move?
Rose: It’s like we have been trying to redefine ourselves, or, perhaps, better understand what it is that we do. Once we understood that first and foremost that Crushes is a platform, that is when it started to click for Sarah and myself. Crushes links small business to a large audience, both digital and physical. And that is rare and precious! By expanding, it also becomes an opportunity for us. Because in such hard financial times, it is wild that we are all doing it alone in the world of business, like fronting rent, labour, and operating expenses. I’ve really been interested in the idea of collectivising. More people coming under the Crushes umbrella, contributing to the space, and letting us curate and facilitate it all. All of a sudden, it means we can have almost this department style shopping experience that I know shoppers will love, but it will also help take the load of which we were struggling to bear alone!
Emma: What will the new space allow you to do with Crushes?
Rose: We will have a matcha cafe from Thea join us in the new year, as well as a florist, a huge expansion of vintage menswear, and regular Crushes Social Club event programming. So many people complain there’s nothing to do in Auckland, and if this new shop can make all my friends who have left NZ have FOMO, then I know I have done my job. As a shopper, I just want to be around energy. Having a workshop going on at the same time as shopping with your mum at Crushes just seems delightful for me. Let Crushes be a place to gather, stay, learn and play. Gosh, is that the Arthur theme song?
Emma: Moving is a big job, especially in a short window of time. What did the relocation entail, logistics-wise and with the shop fit-out?
Rose: We’ve done the big expensive fit-out before, and as necessary as that design was in our strategy back then, I now think it’s cooler to be creative, and to do it for nothing. By doing so, it will both capture the spirit of DIY we’re trying to translate with our curation, as well as just being part of the zeitgeist as a recession indicator! I’m very proud to say we did it in four days, and reused everything we already own! (Which could be impressive if we weren’t in actuality just hoarding for 15 years) The only thing we have purchased at this stage is Kristine Crabb’s silk changing rooms, cause d’uh!
Emma: Will you be expanding your stock range, doing more events? What’s on the cards?
Rose: Yes, we can host the vintage markets of FAM Market Day, have monthly pops up from local small brands (of which, the list is growing with both New Zealand and Australian labels — exciting!), artists and creatives can book in to exhibit or do their own workshops, and we can use all that energy to focus more on securing the best New Zealand-made and vintage and get that to the masses.
Emma: Speaking of stock, what’s been selling well recently? And is there anything limited or special in store that people should get their hands on for summer?
Rose: For Christmas, our Kawakawa Balm flies out the door — it’s such a good gift! As well as the Recipe Journal. And for personal, people are loving our 2026 weekly diaries! Mostly because the way it’s configured just makes so much sense when you’re planning out your week.
Emma: What local labels are you currently stocking, and are there any plans to add more?
Rose: Crushes sells over 60 brands at any given time. They are often the master of their craft, whether that’s ceramics, torch-blowing, wood-turning, or knitting. We’re always adding more! Our most exciting new addition is Crushcore. A ceramicist from Pōneke whose style is colourful and expressive, and the coasters — omg. My dream!
Emma: How has business been this year? I know foot traffic was down a while ago, but since August, it’s felt like there’s a growing energy around the strip?
Rose: It has gotta be one of the worst years on record. I say while laugh-crying. But we stay creative, every cool new idea we put out translates into enough sales to keep us going. But there is a growing enthusiasm within the community that comes with our upcoming train station! To finally be connected with the CRL is going to really help. And Crushes is right in between the two of them — can’t wait!
Emma: Why are you committed to K Road? Could Crushes by Crushes if it were located anywhere else?
Rose: We actually almost took a Ponsonby Road store earlier this year, and even got offered a free store downtown, but we just truly couldn’t leave Karangahape! I’m an Auckland Girls Grammar girl. Lived in Newton Gully growing up. I love and know this area and have been here for all the changes. And it’s still fantastic now. We walk down the road and wave at all the independently owned stores, barbers, cafes and restaurants. We have customers who have been coming since they were pre-teen. We specifically design, stock and curate for the alternative/creatives that call Karangahape their home. We wouldn’t want to give up on all that community that’s baked into Crushes — we couldn’t if we tried!
Emma: Any lessons you’ve learned this year, things you’ve achieved?
Rose: Say yes, but do less. As in, we’ve had a lot of great opportunities that have floated us financially by being open and just saying yes, but we really do need to both take a little less on. Hopefully in 2026 (doubt it).
Emma: What about next year, what’s on the horizon?
Rose: We’re excited about the new possibilities the space will afford. Truly, it could be or do anything that we might feel like we want to try on any given week, which feels incredible. We’re hoping that we can find and hold on to a whole new generation of Crushes-coming, Karangahape-loving folk. And really see this area can thrive after so many changes we’ve held on through.
Crushes is among several of the neighbourhood’s businesses that are expanding. Others, like the imminent new opening at number 510, are joining the mix. Rose is right that there’s a palpable surge of energy and momentum on Karangahape Road. I wrote about it recently for The Spinoff, talking to everyone from the KBA to restaurant Tempero. The restaurant said business this year had been “night and day” compared to the last one. Calluzi’s seeing an uptick too. “Caluzzi goes hand in hand with the nicer weather, when people are feeling, fun, flirty and throw caution to the wind a bit,” said co-owner Kita Mean. “I think drag queens are excellent facilitators of that.” That’s not to say some industries aren’t struggling. “Economically, it’s been hard for a lot of people in our industry,” Aotearoa New Zealand Sex Workers Collective told me.
The need for equitable economic stability came up at the third Night Mayors panel on Wednesday night, held in the old Soap space in Beresford Square. Sam Te Kani stressed that Tāmaki Makaurau needs a “foundational layer of equitable prosperity.” Lucy Macrae wants to see dedicated, legislated entertainment precincts; she thinks K Road would be “a perfect zone, and said the concept had been “life-changing” in Australia. Alongside valid critiques was a lot of love for the city — past memories, like teenage nights spent roaming parks, the choice to live here now, and what it could look like in the future. I highly recommend going along to the next one when the series returns next year.
Ordering… a Christmas ham, finally. I get mine from the Grey Lynn Butcher.
Feeling… that Chanel Métiers d’Art show was pure fantasy; a subway free from civilians, the fantasy of people who can afford to wear Chanel taking public transport, of pay phones and newspapers and careers in a newsroom or executive suite.
Making… Panzanella. It’s the season for it! I use Samin Nosrat’s recipe.
Noticing… several (three!) clusters of young-ish men in convertible sports cars this week. There’s something in this, perhaps a reaction to the dominance of utes and SUVs. It’s a different flavour of masculinity and one I find rather intriguing. Watch this space I guess.
Seeking… out jacarandas, which are in full bloom right now. There’s a good one in the university grounds.
Ordering… an iced decaf coffee at No 7, a good alternative if you’re not partaking in alcohol on a given evening.
Reading… Speedboat by Renata Adler. The kind of effortless, crisp writing we all wished we could do.
I’m DJing (trying to anyway) at the 95bFM Christmas Party tonight? The annual fundraiser is happening at Whammy, Double Whammy and Public Bar. I’ll be at the latter from 10pm to 11pm. Come hear Morning Glory (After Dark). Tickets are available here.
Longform is holding another pop-up in Britomart? Des Rusk says there will be a limited number of shorts, new colours of T-shirts — “only a handful made for the pop-up” — and some women’s tanks. The space at 10 Te Ara Tahuhu Way will also have wares from Dominique Healy, Daeda and other local brands.
1 Bowen Ave, that sunny spot below the church and across from that sliver of Albert Park, no longer has a to lease sign in the window? It’s been empty for so long. I always thought it would make a great cafe, or a flat. Most places would make a good flat.
A seal wandered into a pub in the South Island town of Richmond? This is such a New Zealand news story. I love them.
Twenty-seven Names is having an archive sale? There’s so much good stuff online.
There’s a Queers and Wares Christmas market on this Saturday? If you didn’t get your fix from Tāmaki Makaurau’s market bonanza last weekend, this is on at Studio One Toi Tū and a nice one to go to.
You can sponsor a meal at the Auckland City Mission over Christmas? Good idea.
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Thanks for linking my article! I wrote it when I had raging fever and I keep putting off going back to it and fixing the little errors ahah