Hello, my dear Frankies!

Spring is properly here! We’ve had some beautiful sunny days this week - and a few pretty awful ones too, but I suppose that’s spring for you.

You probably know by now that some of my favourite stories are about locals building lives that really suit them. Changing careers, trying something new, following a cool business idea, and finding a way to make work, family and fun all fit together!

So I loved chatting with Amy Melville this week. She’s Head of Property at Barfoot & Thompson in Waiuku, and alongside that she’s running Grunta's Ice with her family.

And I really love the story behind their family business...Grunta's isn’t some shiny, perfectly polished business story. It’s a family taking the plunge, figuring things out as they go, backing an idea and building something gorgeous together.

So have a read, get inspired by Amy, then have a nosey through everything else happening around Franklin this week!

See ya out there!

R. and the Frankie team xx

From Lab Coats to Ice Machines: Meet Waiuku’s Amy Melville

One of my favourite things about living in Franklin is discovering just how many people around us are casually doing about twelve different things at once.

You know the ones. You see them at school drop-off, at the gym, behind the counter at a local business, sponsoring the kids’ rugby team...and then somehow discover they also have an entirely different career happening on the side!

Amy Melville is one of those people!

She’s Head of Property at Barfoot & Thompson Waiuku, mum to three young kids, and one half of local family business Gruntas Ice. And the road to getting there has been anything but straight, which makes Amy's story super cool to read!

From the lab to property

Amy’s first job out of school was as a laboratory technician at Fonterra, and she stayed in the dairy industry right through her twenties.

Then came the classic Kiwi OE. Amy and her husband Grant headed to London, where Amy swapped the lab for life as a Personal Assistant.

Back in New Zealand, they started their family, and after the arrival of their second son around nine years ago, another career change appeared.

A friend working in property management kept telling Amy she would love it.

“I wasn’t completely convinced at the time,” Amy laughs. But then she spotted a job advertising full training and no experience required. Why not?

She applied, got the job and ended up spending seven years with the company before moving to Barfoot & Thompson Waiuku in early 2025. Looking back, Amy says all those seemingly unrelated jobs have followed her into property management anyway. The accuracy from the laboratory. The organisation from being a PA. And plenty of experience dealing with people.

Which is handy, because property management certainly delivers plenty of those.

“There are multiple projects happening at once, and just when you think you’ve got everything under control, something else pops up!”

Now, as Head of Property, Amy gets to use that experience to support the wider team as well. And she absolutely loves being part of the Waiuku office.

“We regularly have tenants, owners and tradies popping in just to say hello.”

Which is a super special part of living in Waiuku, really.

And then... they bought an ice machine

While Amy was building her property career, another idea had been bubbling away at home. Grant loves fishing, but after repeatedly discovering that finding a decent bag of ice around Franklin when you actually needed one could be surprisingly difficult, an idea started forming...

For a couple of years, they talked about it. And talked about it. Until eventually they decided they should probably stop talking.

“Right, why not? Let’s actually give this a go.”

Then the ice machine arrived. “I think we both looked at it and thought, ‘What on earth are we doing?!’”

And with that, Gruntas Ice began.

At first, Amy and Grant were making flaked salt ice and manually bagging it with a shovel and bucket, sometimes until 10pm at night! They still remember their first big shop order - just over 30 bags of ice! The entire family was so excited that everybody piled into the ute to deliver it together.

These days, 30 bags would barely raise an eyebrow. Deliveries can mean an entire trailer load, alongside the bait and berley range Grant has since developed.

Amy is very happy to clarify one thing though. “The bait is Grant’s baby. I have nothing to do with the bait.” She laughs.

A proper family business

Their first big shop order was just over 30 bags of ice. The whole family was so excited they piled into the ute and delivered it together.

These days, a delivery can mean a full trailer load.

In the early days Amy and Grant were manually bagging ice with a shovel and bucket until 10pm at night, alongside work and raising three young kids. As the business grew, something had to change.

At the end of 2024, Grant left his building job to work in Gruntas, which gave the family a new rhythm. Amy could return to full-time work, Grant could handle school and daycare pickups, and the business could keep growing around them.

“It’s definitely been a team effort,” Amy says.

And that’s probably the loveliest part of it. Gruntas isn’t some perfectly polished business story. It’s a family figuring things out as they go.

Very, very local

As Gruntas has grown, so has its place in the community. Amy and Grant have supported local school Ag Days, Kariaotahi Surf Club, Waiuku Rugby, Pukekohe Rugby junior players and plenty of fishing competitions, donating everything from ice to chilly bins and life jackets! Their ice has travelled in dinghies, chilly bins and trailers and has also even ended up on a movie set and in a TV series!

“We’re a local family business, so being able to give back to the community that supports us is really important.”

Amy says that crossover is one of her favourite parts of living and working in Franklin. The same people pop up everywhere. You might know someone through school, then see them through Barfoot, then again at a fishing comp or the gym.

“You’re not just dealing with customers. You’re building relationships.”

Just give it a go

For someone whose career has jumped from lab work, to PA work, to property management, leadership and business ownership, Amy’s advice is fittingly simple.

“Take a chance and give it a go.”

Her advice to other Frankies who have a business idea circling in the back of their heads? "Sometimes you have to stop overthinking it, pick up the phone and make that first call. Ask the question, have the conversation, put the idea out there. You never know what might come from it."

"That one phone call could open a door you weren’t even expecting — and if you never make the call, you’ll never know."

And sometimes, if you're lucky, taking that leap of faith leads to a giant ice machine, a trailer full of bags and your entire family working together on something special you've always talked about. ♥

---

If you haven’t already, go and give Gruntas Ice a follow and support another very cool little Franklin family business doing its thing! You can keep up with them, see where to grab ice, bait and berley, and follow along with all the Gruntas adventures here! ❄️🎣

hifgins sprit

Unscramble the letters above to find the Franklin-related phrase! Answer at the bottom of the newsletter!

🥎 Waiuku Softball Club Have a Go Day​
Waiuku Softball Club is holding a Have a Go Day on Sunday 13 September at 1pm at Waiuku College Fields for kids aged 4–15. New and experienced players are welcome, and registrations for the 2026/27 season are now open. Check it out here!​

🍕 Italian Long Table Lunch – Pizzata, Pukekohe​
Join Pizzata on Sunday 1 November from 12–3pm for a long-table Italian feast featuring sourdough, salads, all-you-can-eat pizza and Limoncello Cake. Tickets are $55 per person, with $20 from every ticket donated to Franklin Hospice. Book here​

Have you read Coffee News this week? ☕ Pick up a copy in your favourite café or scan the QR code to read on your device!

👉 Want a featured note on the notice board? - Simply book your feature here or just send us a quick email and we'll help you out!

Thursday

🧘 The Thursday Exhale​
9.30am at Sanctuary Retreat
Start your day with a gentle, grounding practice designed to help you slow down and breathe. More info here​

🍻 Thursday Quiz Night​
6.30–8.30pm at Pukekohe Golf Club
Grab your team and test your trivia skills over a fun night at the club. Check it out!​

🎟️ Housie​
11am–1pm at 78 Nelson Street
Come along for a fun-filled session of Housie with friends and neighbours. All the details here​

🍸 Cocktail Happy Hour​
6–7pm at Little Ed
Enjoy all your cocktail favourites for a little less during this weekly happy hour.

---

Friday

🎨🍷 Frankly Small – Opening Night & Awards Ceremony​
Franklin The Centre, 12 Massey Ave, Pukekohe ($25)
Kick off the Franklin Arts Festival in style with wine, food, entertainment and outstanding local art. More info here​

🌙 Luna Bites Night Market​
5–9pm at Navigation Homes Stadium
Browse tasty food stalls and soak up the evening market vibes. Check it out!​

---

Saturday

🐄 Mauku School Country Life Day​
9am at Mauku School
A fun family day packed with animal judging, market stalls, emergency services displays and plenty to see and do. All the details here​

🎨 Frankly Small​
9am at Franklin The Centre
Explore local art and creativity as part of the Franklin Arts Festival. More info here​

🌸 Spring Festival at Kiwi Colour Nursery​
352 Kingseat Road
Browse artisan foods, art and craft, coffee, handmade goods and a beautiful range of plants from local makers and growers.

🧘‍♀️ Free Reformer Pilates Workouts​
Studio Pilates Pukekohe
Try a free Reformer Pilates session and discover what makes Studio Pilates different, with in-studio offers and giveaways on the day. Check it out!​

🐶 Pup Up Market​
8am–12pm at Your Local Brew Bar, 173 Manukau Road
Bring the whole crew (dogs included!) for a puppy-friendly market morning, plus an 8.30am dog walk meet-up. All the details here​

🦇 Acoustic Bat Monitoring Workshop​
Finding Franklin Bats
Get hands-on with acoustic bat monitors and learn how to detect pekapeka activity — free and open to everyone, no experience needed. More info here​

📚 Meet Local Author Sarah O'Neil​
Mitre 10 MEGA Pukekohe
Enjoy a gardening chat with Sarah and receive a free packet of seeds, or buy her book on the day for a free 6-pack of Growfresh seedlings.

---

Sunday

🥕 Franklin Country Market​
8am at Pukekohe Park Raceway
Browse homegrown produce, handmade crafts, antiques and market stalls, with food trucks, live music and a car boot sale. Check it out!​

🧘 Sunday Stretch Sessions​
9am at Rxfitness235, 42 Belgium Street, Waiuku
Join The Stretch Collective for a 45-minute stretch session to ease into your Sunday. All the details here​

💃 Around the World in 80 Dances​
10am at Pukekohe East Hall
Join Puni Linedancers for a fun session of dancing your way around the world. More info here​

🥎 Waiuku Softball Club Have a Go Day​
1pm at Waiuku College Fields
A free come-and-try session for kids aged 4–15, with registrations for the 2026/27 season now open.

---

monday

🍳 Good Food, Bright Minds​
7–9am at Cafe Queen, Waiuku
A collaboration between Cafe Queen and Sanctuary Retreat offering a nourishing breakfast for school kids every Monday during term time.

🍻 Monday Quiz Night​
7pm at Good Home Pukekohe, 65 Edinburgh Street
Gather your team for a fun weekly quiz night — booking recommended.

🏃 The Wellness Run Club​
5.45am at your local Coffee, West Street
A friendly 5km loop to start your week — all levels welcome.

🍹 Margherita Monday​
Appetite
Kick off the week with a $15 margarita, because Mondays deserve a little extra sparkle.

---

Tuesday

☕ Coffee Cupping​
10am at Your Local Coffee Brew Bar
Learn to taste and appreciate coffee like a pro at this fun cupping session. Check it out!​

🌺 Tuvalu Workshop​
10am–1pm at Pukekohe Library
Come along and learn more about Tuvaluan culture at this community workshop. All the details here​

🎨 Painting Club​
6–8pm at Franklin Arts Centre
Bring along whatever you're working on for two hours of dedicated painting time and connect with other local artists (term time only).

---

Wednesday

🧘‍♀️ The Relaxation Hour with The Pause Society​
7–8pm at Waiuku Yacht Club ($20)
Bring your own coziness for a soothing hour of relaxation — BYOC! More info here​

👋 Anti-Social Social Club for Teens​
3.30pm at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue
A brand-new after-school hangout for teens of all kinds — social, not-so-social, or anywhere in between, everyone's welcome. Check it out!​

---

Word Scramble answer: Fishing trips

p.s. If someone awesome sent you this email and you want to subscribe yourself, sign up here 👉 dearfrankie.co.nz​