About Us
Guthrie Bowron is New Zealand's leading decorating specialist store. We retail paint, wallpaper, curtains, blinds, related accessories and carpet through a nationwide network of independently owned franchise stores. Specifically we are:
- New Zealand's leading paint specialist store;
- New Zealand's largest retailer of wallpaper; and
- New Zealand's largest retail network for made-to-measure curtains.
Guthrie Bowron was founded in Dunedin in 1896 making the brand over 110 years old. It is a household name in New Zealand and enjoys instant consumer recognition. The Group pioneered a franchise model in 1992 which proved highly successful and was the catalyst for its growth to the current 49 stores.
Guthrie Bowron is a specialist paint store that is broadening its offer to become a one-stop shop for home decorating. The Group began retailing curtains and blinds in 2000 and the category has enjoyed strong year-on-year growth. Carpet was also successfully introduced in 2007, illustrating that our customers are willing to embrace new categories under our trusted banner.
Guthrie Bowron's scale gives the Group strong buying power, the ability to advertise nationally on television and a strong support network for the exchange of ideas. The support of the master franchise holder also means supply and marketing issues do not distract our franchisees from the business of value added customer service.