Be our Guest - Try Tawa: Summer Survey Lessons Learned
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
This summer, we asked our community to once again “Try Tawa” - and you delivered.
From 1 December 2025 to 31 January 2026, 57 people completed our Be our Guest – Try Tawa survey, helping us better understand how, why and where people are shopping locally.
Promotion included Facebook advertising, posts shared in community Facebook groups, and a mention in the Tawa Residents’ Association newsletter.
Congratulations to our Be our Guest Winner!
After each survey is complete, we draw a winner from all the entries. Our summer Be our Guest winner is Louise Owen, who has won a $100 voucher to spend at The Borough - one of our community’s favourite hospitality spots.
Louise enjoyed a delicious duck salad, while her five children tucked into tasty pizzas and amazing ice cream sundaes. Congratulations to Louise!
What We Learned This Summer
Strong Local Loyalty
The summer survey results reinforce what we often hear in conversation - Tawa residents are deeply connected to their local businesses. An impressive 95% of respondents had used a Town Centre business within the past three months, and nearly two-thirds are shopping locally multiple times each week. Even more striking, 35% reported visiting Tawa businesses most days, a noticeable increase from our Spring findings.
This level of frequency reflects more than habit; it signals trust, convenience and genuine loyalty. The majority of respondents (77%) live in Tawa itself, with particularly strong participation from family households and those aged 30-44. This suggests that working-age residents and young families are highly engaged with the local economy and see Tawa as their primary destination for everyday needs.
What People Are Using
Hospitality continues to be the heartbeat of local foot traffic. Food and drink businesses were used by 91% of respondents over the past three months, while 73% enjoyed eating out locally. Retail shops also remain a core part of the mix, with 61% reporting recent visits.
Beyond hospitality and retail, there was steady engagement with auto services, health and fitness providers, beauty therapy, and child-related services. These categories reflect the broad ecosystem of businesses that support daily life in Tawa.
One notable finding, however, is that Building and Home Improvement businesses once again recorded no direct usage in the survey responses. This likely reflects the infrequent nature of renovation or building projects and presents a clear opportunity to strengthen awareness and visibility in this sector.
Takapū Rise businesses were used by 33% of respondents, although most references appear to relate primarily to supermarket visits. This suggests measurable engagement with the area, but also potential to highlight the wider range of businesses located there.
Why People Shop Local
Convenience remains Tawa’s strongest competitive advantage. An overwhelming 86% of respondents cited convenience as a key reason for shopping locally. Good service and supporting local businesses were equally important motivators, each selected by 65% of participants. Parking, quality and atmosphere also rated highly.
Together, these responses paint a clear picture: Tawa works because it is easy, welcoming and dependable. The strong emphasis on service reinforces the importance of friendly, personalised customer experiences as a defining feature of the local business community.
How People Find Out About Promotions
Facebook continues to be the dominant communication channel, with 75% of respondents identifying it as their primary way of learning about local promotions and new businesses. Word of mouth and simply passing by businesses also remain influential.
It is worth noting that most summer responses were driven directly through Facebook promotion. This suggests that the platform is not only effective for visibility, but also for motivating action and engagement with local initiatives.
Exceptional Service Standouts
The clear standout this Summer was Tawa Books & Post, which received repeated praise for its friendly and knowledgeable staff, excellent children’s book selection, same-day delivery service, helpful postal support, and warm community atmosphere.
Other highly regarded businesses included Sprig & Fern - Tawa, Golden Rose Nails, Salon Savoy, and New World Tawa.
Across all comments, common themes emerged: staff going above and beyond, genuinely welcoming environments, personalised service, and spaces that feel inclusive and family friendly. These qualities continue to define the Tawa business experience and remain one of the community’s greatest strengths.
Where to Next? Try Tawa – The Autumn Survey
We will be running an autumn version of the Try Tawa survey, with new and updated questions, with an emphasis on better understanding renovation spending and awareness of specialist services. It will only take about 5 minutes to complete and runs from 1 March to 30 April 2026.
Thank you to everyone who took part. Your feedback directly shapes how we promote, support and strengthen Tawa’s business community, and your continued support of our wonderful businesses makes Tawa a great place to live, shop, and connect.
Everything you need is right here in Tawa - and this Summer, you proved it.
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