More Info →Interior of Garners Building, Broadway Avenue

Garners began in The Square, Palmerston North 7 February 1906 with a small drapery business. Three years later Miss M M Garner & Miss H M Garner went into business with her brother Henry they became “Garner and Garner'. In 1930 Keith Garner joined the firm, later becoming its Managing Director. By 1937 Miss May Garner was no longer involved in the business and Garners moved to the old Zealandia Hall site in Broadway Avenue, which was remodelled to suit the business. The building was remodelled again in 1959 and the premises were extended through to Main Street.
R and W Thorrold-Jaggard were the architects. Garners were bought out by Smith and Brown in the 1960s.
Note the store "The Kash" was operated and run independently by Frank Meredith Garner (brother of Harry). The reason why Misses May and Hilda Garner went into business with Harry was their mother provided the money for the store to be established on condition that Harry worked the store with his sisters May and Hilda as equal partners. Keith Garner was sent to Beaths in Christchurch in 1923 (he was aged 17) where he trained as a draper there. After he qualified he came back to Palmerston North and went to work for his father Harry at Garners.