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Neither Julia Atkinson-Dunn nor her husband, Tena ‘T’ Dunn, were butchers when they bought the Akaroa Butchery and Deli. Julia was an artist/garden writer (she’s @studiohome and @studiohomegardening on Instagram), and T was transitioning from bricklaying to picture framing when he suffered a freak diving accident, and they decided to reprioritise.
“The butchery had been for sale for a little while, and one morning when we were staying in Akaroa, T was talking about what he’d do with the place if we owned it,” remembers Julia. “So driving home to Christchurch, I asked him, ‘Is this just going to be another what if? Or should we actually do it?’” A couple of months later, they owned the business, had sold their home, and shifted over the hill.
Officially, the council owns the charming wee building on Akaroa’s main drag, but emotionally, it’s owned by the community. “We view ourselves merely as the current caretakers,” says Julia. For that reason, the couple trod lightly during the refurb, giving the place a deep clean, paint job, rebrand and general shuffle.
The big shake-up came in the offering. “The whole place had a lovely French vibe when we bought it, but we wanted to really celebrate Aotearoa in our food,” she says. Fortunately, they inherited the resident butcher with the business, who took T under his wing, teaching him the tools of the trade.
The free-farmed pork comes from North Canterbury, the sheep and beef is grass-fed, and the deli is stocked with artisan bread, pantry staples, new discoveries (the buffalo tartinade is a stunner), fresh flowers and ready-made-meals from award-winning independent producers. It’s a must-visit for anyone touring the quaint seaside town, and a reinvigorated go-to for the locals. “After taking it on without experience, I’d say ignorance is bliss,” laughs Julia. “But every day in summer when we finish work and pop down to the beach in Takamatua, I still can’t believe this is our life.”
Akaroa Butchery and Deli
67 Rue Lavaud, Akaroa
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