The first store which opened 1916 was built by William Polkinghorne the younger. He also built a cheese factory as well as the Post Office. Unfortunately, the cheese factory was not a success and closed after 2 years of operation.

The store was on the hill between Arkles and Manly, on the corner of Whangaparaoa and Homestead Roads.

Ken and Edith Hopper moved to Whangaparaoa and took over the store in 1927.

This was a popular store with locals and visitors who used to arrive in Whangaparaoa by the ferry into Arkles Bay. Visitors started to arrive from the 1920's with Whangaparaoa being a popular beach destination.

The original store was demolished in the mid to late 1980’s as the land was developed. Whangaparaoa Hall built in 1936, the first shops in the 1950’sand the first shopping centre opened in January 1960.

Early shops included a large grocery store called “Shoprite” which was part of the early New World group. Other shops included Otto’s Icecreams, Mrs Drent’s bookshop (which held the original library), a dairy, butcher, barber, haberdashery shop, Parker’s Electrical (eventually taken over by one of the young shop workers, Eddie Law) and Neville’s Pharmacy (now the site of Hair Scene).

The Whangaparaoa Pub was also a popular landmark down Wade River Road next to the shops and the Baptist Church was also an early landmark.