{"id":256507,"date":"2026-01-28T21:14:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T21:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/256507\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T21:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T21:14:08","slug":"crane-brothers-to-grow-high-st-flagship-expand-store-into-ruby-site","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/256507\/","title":{"rendered":"Crane Brothers to grow High St flagship, expand store into Ruby site"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CraneCrane Brothers owner Murray Crane said he plans to expand the store’s growing categories. Photo \/ RNZ, Yiting Lin<\/p>\n

Crane said a key focus will be showcasing more of its own product in a \u201cconfident, coherent way\u201d, alongside a small number of international brands that align closely with its approach to quality and longevity.<\/p>\n

This includes brands such as Fortela and Christian Kimber, where there is strong resonance with the business\u2019 customers and how it dresses them.<\/p>\n

Crane said he was also using the opportunity to grow other categories that continue to perform, particularly footwear and knitwear.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth have expanded in depth and relevance over recent years, and the new layout allows them to be treated as proper categories rather than supporting elements.<\/p>\n

\u201cImportantly, the expanded store will continue to house our core disciplines. Tailored menswear remains central to the business, as does our special-occasion offering including black tie, wedding attire and formalwear. The intent is to give these areas the space, service environment and clarity they require.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alongside the store\u2019s expansion, Crane Brothers is relocating its tailoring workroom into a new purpose-designed space nearby on High St, Crane highlighting the location\u2019s natural light.<\/p>\n

Crane said with the added space at the new expanded store, it doesn\u2019t need as much off-site storage where the tailors will be moving.<\/p>\n

He said construction would take place over the coming months, and the expanded High St store was scheduled to open shortly after Easter.<\/p>\n

\"MurrayMurray Crane says he believes in the character of High St and his desire to be a legacy business. Photo \/ Kenny Rodger<\/p>\n

High St positivity<\/p>\n

Crane has continued to invest in Auckland\u2019s CBD after a spate of business closures and concerns over growing homelessness.<\/p>\n

Last year department store Smith & Caugheys closed<\/a> after 145 years in business blaming competition, economic uncertainty and reduced foot traffic.<\/p>\n

Crane claimed at the time that inadequately trained staff and poor service<\/a> contributed to the demise of the iconic Queen St department store.<\/p>\n

He recently wrote and published a piece on his LinkedIn profile arguing that Auckland \u201cneeds people who believe in it enough to look after it\u201c.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have spent most of my working life in this city, and I have watched it absorb more criticism than care. The problems are real enough: cracked pavements, overflowing bins, dead plants left standing, temporary road cones that become permanent fixtures,\u201d Crane wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen enough people decide a place is not worth their time, attention or investment, the place responds accordingly. Not because it is broken, but because it is neglected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crane argued that cynicism is not honesty, and that it makes it harder for the council, business owners and residents to build the confidence required to improve it.<\/p>\n

But he believed the key to solving the city\u2019s issues is a challenge worth overcoming.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is missing is not potential. It is consistency. And consistency begins with attitude. When confidence, care and long-term thinking are applied, progress follows. Belief alone is not enough, but without it, nothing improves.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have stayed engaged with the city because we believe in what it can be, and that engagement has been repaid… Auckland is a lovely city. It deserves people who will look after it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.<\/p>\n

Stay ahead with the latest market moves, corporate updates, and economic insights by subscribing to our Business newsletter<\/a> \u2013 your essential weekly round-up of all the business news you need.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Crane Brothers owner Murray Crane said he plans to expand the store’s growing categories. Photo \/ RNZ, Yiting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":256508,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[147993,51,682,4463,20438,138,31426,101116,11598,61463,311,17240,2959,296,68199,72774,130,17700,111,139,69,10405,15400,8275,43057,1857,392,11420,2735,61,147994],"class_list":["post-256507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-adjacent","tag-auckland","tag-being","tag-brand","tag-brothers","tag-business","tag-cbd","tag-crane","tag-expand","tag-flagship","tag-founder","tag-grow","tag-high","tag-into","tag-january","tag-menswear","tag-more","tag-murray","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-positivity","tag-push","tag-renews","tag-ruby","tag-site","tag-space","tag-st","tag-store","tag-to","tag-vacated"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=256507"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256507\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/256508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=256507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=256507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=256507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}