A family affair
One of the South Island's original furniture retailers,
McKenzie & Willis Interiors, is set to bring Bay of Plenty homes their signature treatment. UNO spoke to managing director Bill Willis about his great-grandfather's legacy and the brand’s expansion north.
Words Karen Clarkson | Photos Salina Galvan
Having your family’s furniture store at your fingertips to explore and play in every day, might just be every child’s dream. For Bill Willis, and his cousin Tim Willis, directors of family-owned interiors brand McKenzie & Willis, this sums up their life as kids in Christchurch.
“In those days, McKenzie & Willis was a four-level downtown showroom, managed by my dad, and Tim’s dad. We had great fun as children bouncing on the beds and exploring the furniture displays. As a teenager, I learnt to drive the trade truck and spent weekends delivering furniture around Christchurch,” recalls managing director Bill Willis.
Bill and Tim’s great-grandfather Joseph Willis, along with RS McKenzie, first launched the business in 1906, selling houses, land, and furniture. Now almost 120 years later, and passing through three generations of Willis’, the Christchurch institution has become one of our country’s leading home furniture and interior design brands.
Bill and Tim, who took the helm from their respective fathers after the Christchurch earthquakes, have set about expanding the brand’s footprint across New Zealand.
With five successful stores in the South Island, including a purpose-built Christchurch showroom, McKenzie & Willis Interiors opened in the capital in 2017. In 2021, Bill and Tim took the leap further north with the acquisition of The Design Depot from Mount Maunganui and Hamilton, and this year they added two contemporary showrooms to their now eight locations across Aotearoa.
Bill says the purchase and rebrand of The Design Depot was a natural fit for the brand’s growth and values: a family business dedicated to creating beautiful interiors with excellent personalised service to match.
“People and service have always been at the heart of what we do. We’re really proud to have all The Design Depot team continue with us at the new stores. To be able to adopt a great team with experience and relationships is the best outcome for everyone,” explains Bill.
Kylie Keene (former owner of The Design Depot) took the lead alongside the McKenzie & Willis product team to design the new Mount Maunganui showroom collection and fit-out.
Inside the space, creative curtain and blind displays, furniture, homewares, beds, and linens reflect the region’s personality. Across the store’s collection, the Bay’s relaxed, calm style, influenced by nature and the outdoors, has been combined with eye-catching patterns, textures, and wallpapers synonymous with the McKenzie & Willis brand.
“The focus was to bring the very best of these aesthetics together with high-end homewares and quality brands from here and around the world,” explains Bill.
Alongside their hallmark showrooms and core offering of furniture, beds, and furnishings, is a full-service interior design experience with a focus on clients building a relationship with one key designer on their personal project.
“We have been so fortunate to have attracted incredibly talented and passionate interior designers in each of our stores. Homes are where we spend time, bring up families, and entertain with friends. Our team of specialists works closely with our clients to turn houses into beautiful spaces that Kiwis love,” explains Bill.
The new Mount showroom features an expansive and inspiring sampling area allowing customers to visit and work alongside their interior designer. Whether clients are transforming a bedroom, living room, or building a new home, Bill says that by having one key contact, creating a strong relationship, and leaning on the chain of other stores, the team delivers exceptional results. “Across our family of New Zealand-made and imported brands, we can tailor-make sizes, fabrics, and configurations bespoke to your home and style. This is a real strength of McKenzie & Willis,” says Bill.
Alongside the new Mount Maunganui showroom, McKenzie & Willis have renovated and rebranded The Design Depot store in Hamilton – a move he knows his dad and uncle would be proud of.
“Opening in new locations signals an exciting chapter for us; expanding
our offering nationwide and giving New Zealanders greater access to our comprehensive collections and design expertise. Dad had a real passion for growth and building beautiful showrooms and while he passed away last year, he knew the Mount Maunganui store was opening. I know he would be proud of our vision and what our team has created here.”