Brothers Tom, Murray and Boyd Quinn are back wheeling and dealing at Hawera's mart.
In 2003 Quinns Auctions partnership broke-up, with Tom opting to sell cars and Boyd heading to greener pastures in New Plymouth, leaving Murray with his son-in-law Justin Meads operating the business as Quinn & Meads Auctions.
Together again, the three brothers have more than 100 years' combined service to the mart, which was founded just over 60 years ago. They have changed the name back to Quinns Auctions.
Back in the 1970s the oldest brother Tom left school at 15 to work at the mart, then 18 months later he was joined by brother Murray. The youngest brother Boyd also went to the mart straight from school.
They began by working for their father Jack Quinn and Frank Eades, who was the son-in-law of the founder Fred Finer. Fred served as Hawera mayor from 1952 until 1970.
Tom later bought Frank's shares and Murray bought the remaining shares from his father.
Tom, the elder statesman, has many memories of his 35-plus years at the mart. He recalls the day that they stopped selling poultry in the early 1980s.
"It was the best day of my life when we finally went out of chooks. We used to get complaints from the neighbours if a rooster started crowing. When they escaped it was us boys that had to chase them across the road to the old Taranaki Farmers produce building (now Hawera Cinema).
"People used to buy them for their weekly meat. Cleaning the pens was also left to us boys.
"On the brighter side the mart featured on national television in the early 80s when Benjamin Disraeli's piano went up for auction. Disraeli served twice as Prime Minister of Britain, first in 1868 and again in 1877 until 1880. Now that was a big day for the Hawera mart.
"Dr Fitzgerald, a well-known doctor of the district, selling his collection of Maori artefacts was a big day also, it was the only time that we had to call the police as protesters tried to stop the auction," Tom said.
The boys have no big plans to change the layout or look of the historic mart.
So what's the future?
"Well," said Tom, "we are the only licensed auctioneers to run secondhand auctions in Taranaki. Boyd will be working out of New Plymouth for three days using the Hawera base for selling secondhand goods.
"We have plans to start up a Facebook page. Antique auctions are our speciality and we plan to build on this as there is still a big demand for quality antiques.
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"We have plenty of secondhand goods that people can buy off the shop floor; we aren't all about selling at auction.
"It's like fashion, things change, and we have to change with it. At the moment people are collecting things from the 70s. Old Beatles and Elvis vinyl records are also hot. I've only been back a few weeks and I've had inquiries about people wanting to buy old turntables to play the 33 1/3s on. A few years ago we couldn't give them away."
This writer can also remember the day that the Star made a mistake in Finers Mart's classified ad by substituting an F for an M. The Star was a broadsheet then and was selling for half a crown.
Only a limited number made the streets before the mistake was noticed. A big mistake for its day. After all – he was the mayor at the time.
- © Fairfax NZ News CLIFF HUNT- SOUTH TARANAKI STAR
Last updated 10:26 19/01/2012
CLIFF HUNT
The Quinn Brothers are back: Murray, Boyd, and Tom are trading under their old name, Quinns Mart.
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