The Farmers Building
The current shop is the third Farmers building on the High Street site. The original business was known as the Northern Canterbury Co-operative Stores, and was established in 1890 near the Junction Hotel – now known as Robbies.
The first building on the present Farmers site was opened in 1895 and extended in 1899. Seven years later, a more grandiose building was added to the west.
A devastating fire swept through both buildings in October 1918. At that time it was North Canterbury’s largest fire and estimated to have cost the business £45,000.
A new store opened on the site in time for Christmas the following year. The clerk of works at the time was Samuel Ayers, great grandfather of current Mayor David Ayers and Rachel Tregurtha, both members of the Rangiora Landmarks Team.