By Jess Baker
An iconic store in the heart of Stanthorpe will soon change hands, but its new owners promise its mission will remain the same.
Many know and love the Happy Valley Hippy Shop for its welcoming atmosphere, its unique offerings and its friendly owner Caz Quaglio.
Caz has owned the Victoria Street shop – the spiritual hub, as she calls it – for more than three years now.
She believes it to be a place people can socialise and express themselves without judgement. A place people can come to heal.
The decision to sell was not an easy one for Caz, but she said knowing she was leaving the store in good hands eased her doubts.
Amiens residents Nikki Wann and Zerin Flynn will become the new proprietors of the store next week, on Thursday 1 July.
Both Nikki and Zerin had a profound experience with the store when they first arrived in Stanthorpe some years ago.
“The first time I came to Stanthorpe was in 2018. Caz was the first person I met,” Nikki said.
“I did a bit of a stint helping out at the store and I just fell in love with the place.”
Nikki said she had grown up in Warwick and, despite never having visited Stanthorpe, had always felt a pull to the town.
Zerin moved from Brisbane to Stanthorpe in 2017, also never having visited the town before.
He felt like a change, and a friend of his who lived in Stanthorpe happened to have a room available.
“It was kind of strange … (moving) happened by chance, but I feel like it’s happened for a reason,” Zerin said.
Zerin said the store to him represented a space where people who are more “spiritually inclined” could feel at home.
He said he himself felt compelled to visit the Happy Valley Hippy Shop and speak to Caz when he arrived in Stanthorpe four years ago.
And eventually, it would be the place he met Nikki.
Nikki and Zerin said few things will change once they take ownership of the shop, they just hope to “carry on the happy, hippy vibes”.
The pair will continue to stock hippy clothing, crystals, incense, dream catchers, spiritual trinkets, skincare, soaps, natural oils, and other goods made by local artists.
“We want to provide a space people can come to if they’re feeling a bit flat,” Nikki said.
“And, personally, I’m hoping the shop will give me the space to expand on the spiritual gifts I’ve got.”
Nikki said she considers herself “clair-intuitive” and capable of hearing messages from those “on the spirit side”.
She said the shop helped here to embrace her spiritual beliefs and she hopes, under her and Zerin’s ownership, it will do the same for others.
From 1 July, the shop will be renamed Zenik Hippy Shop – but Zerin and Nikki said that would likely be the extent of the changes.
Caz said she was grateful both Nikki and Zerin were committed to keeping the hippy shop a hippy shop, as it had been established for more than 15 years, and for the support of Stanthorpe since she took ownership.
“Thank you to our local community for supporting us through three years of drought, and through the Covid-19 pandemic,” Caz said.
“And thank you to the local musicians for keeping the doors open.”
