Alison and Tony with their beloved animals.

Seven years ago Alison and Tony Shrigley decided there had to be a less stressful way to live so they climbed down off the corporate ladder and moved to a seven and a half acre lifestyle block on the outskirts of Clevedon.

“We lived in Totara Heights. The back gate went down a bush path to the Ellerslie flower show. It was wonderful – two hundred acres that someone else took care of,” Alison said with a laugh when Rural Living called in recently. 

“It was a moment of madness but we love it here.”

At the time Tony was manager of a paper recycling company while Alison had a printing firm – both  successful, high stress corporate roles.   Alison came from a farming background and the couple were eager to find a lifestyle with peace and solitude, and the idea of being able to work within ten minutes of home was appealing. 

“When we lived in the gardens we always came out here in the weekends and loved it.  We’re in the country side but only ten minutes from Papakura for shopping.” 

However the move only fulfilled one part of the dream and they still needed an income. 

“We needed to generate an income and one of the things we love about Clevedon is it is a destination. A weekend destination for Aucklanders and a tourist destination for the Pacific Highway.” Shortly after moving to their block the Clevedon Information Centre and Gallery came on the market and Alison jumped at the opportunity. “It was a stepping stone to where we are now.  We sold in January of this year to buy the chocolate shops.”

The chocolate shops in Clevedon and Pukekohe completed the dream with Tony finally able to leave the corporate world completely behind him to focus on their new life.

The Clevedon Chocolate Shop is a place of fun.

“There is still stress but it’s a different type of stress and it’s fun.  When people visit the chocolate shop it’s a happy moment – nobody comes in for a sad occasion. It’s a treat. And that’s part of our dream too, to have a low stress fun environment. We both love meeting people and giving them a total experience.  Once they taste the chocolates they just keep coming back and that’s part of what it’s about for us.” 

The chocolates are brought up from Christchurch each Monday and Alison estimates around 90 per cent are sold by Sunday.  Recently the accompanying website was updated and Alison and Tony are now shipping chocolates all over the world.

As much as they love the chocolates, it is easy to see their real love is their lifestyle block. “We call it Noah’s ark – we have two of everything. Two donkeys, two  pigs with piglets, two  sheep with lambs, two dogs, several chickens, goldfish.”

The house is surrounded by immaculate gardens making it easy to believe Alison when she says she is a gardener at heart. This past autumn the couple put an acre and a half of land into wet lands to encourage native birds, complete with pond and miniature waterfall.

“Ducks arrived within a week of finishing and I just love seeing the native birds out there.”

Although Alison loves the country life and happily eats the eggs her chickens lay, she draws the line at eating the animal members of her ark, even sending away the eight steers they raise each year.