Four Square Raglan celebrated 100 years of Four Square on July 4.
Four Square’s roots stretch back a century ago when, on 4 July 1924, a square was drawn around the ‘4’ in the calendar by local grocer and Four Square founder, J Heaton Barker.
Four Square was the name Barker gave to the co-operative buying group of local grocers because they “would stand Four Square to all the winds that blew”.
Satnam Bains, owner operator of Four Square Raglan, says he was excited to celebrate Four Square’s centenary with his local community.
“100 years is a massive milestone for any business to reach, and it’s a testament to Four Square’s connection with the communities of Aotearoa,” he says.
“July 4 is actually the eighth anniversary of my store ownership as well, so we invited the whole town to come and eat some birthday cake and celebrate with us. We couldn’t have reached this anniversary without the support of our locals and this is our way of saying thank you.”
For Satnam, retail literally runs in his blood.
His childhood was spent helping out at his parents’ dairy, where he learned firsthand the importance of a friendly neighbourhood store.
Fast forward a few years, and Satnam realised he wanted his first store to look after not just the surrounding neighbourhood, but an entire town.
Satnam took the reins of Four Square Raglan in 2016, alongside his wife Harshi, and has since transformed his store into a hub for the community.
“Four Square Raglan is tailormade for this town,” he says. “It’s my way of saying thanks to customers for supporting us all these years.”
Satnam is a busy man, often spending seven days a week instore, yet he still manages to find the time to commit to a number of community initiatives. He’s a strong supporter of Raglan, and sponsors nearly every non-profit organisation and sports team in the surrounding area.
Four Square Raglan also supports the local primary schools, providing stationery to every student who needs it, and is involved with the ‘Feed the Kids’ programme. Every week, volunteers get together to pack and prepare lunches for students, with food provided by the store’s deli team.
Juggling all this might seem a lot for one person, but Satnam says he’s lucky to have an extended family who travel down from Auckland to lend a hand during the busy summer months.
His family assists during Four Square Raglan’s most well-known event, their annual cultural night; a chance for Raglan to savour delicious Indian curries free of charge, enjoy vibrant performances, and learn more about Satnam’s Punjabi heritage.
“Locals and tourists are always really interested in learning where we’re from and our Sikhism religion.
“This night is a way to share a bit of our culture with our Raglan family.”
The Raglan store itself is another thing Satnam has tweaked over the years with his community in mind. Solar panels keep the store energy efficient, the recently expanded car park caters to summer crowds, and opening hours have shifted to better fit Raglan’s rhythm.
The store’s success, Satnam believes, lies in the strong relationships he’s built.
“My team is like family,” he says. “We create a work environment where everyone feels valued and enjoys coming to work. Seeing everyone enjoy themselves here makes it all worthwhile.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m actually late to a friendly soccer rematch with a few of my customers. They seem to think they can beat me this time!”
