Made: Hamilton’s New Vibrant Hub for Food, Shopping, and Fun

Made is Hamilton’s exciting new indoor precinct, a one-stop shop where you can buy locally grown and made grocery items, grab some takeaway, enjoy a few drinks over a meal and browse a selection of fashion and retail stores. Stark Property, the creator of The Riverbank Lane and Panama co-working spaces (also both in Hamilton), has transformed the former Waikato Regional Council building into a regional smorgasbord, featuring over 40 vendors. Stark and his wife, Jaimee Stark (the creative lead at Stark Property), always mused over places like Melbourne’s many markets and Chelsea Market in New York. But it was Christchurch’s Riverside Market – founded by Richard Peebles, Kris Inglis and Mike Percasky – that got Made over the line. Off the Grey Street entrance, you’re greeted with all the stalls you’ll ever need to stock your pantry and fridge, including Volare bakery, Bare Refill Grocery, Expleo Butchery and Pirongia Mountain vegetables. There are also kiosks, including Mamas Donuts, as well as smoothie and acai-bowl-maker Soul Boul. Then there’s The Larder, a collective for smaller artisans’ creations, from Waikato-grown macadamias to Scoop Dog ice-cream (for your pup). Follow the brick-paved ramp down into the Mess Hall, an urban food court that sits high among the native treetops and overlooks the Waikato Te Awa (river) below. It’s here you’ll find award-winning Little ‘Lato’s first Hamilton ice-cream parlour, Amphora Wine Bar from sommelier Kieran Clarkin, Japanese outfit Omo Omo, Asian street food from On a Roll, Mr Twist pretzels and Burger Burger, to name a few. Behind Hāpi’s 16-tap craft beer bar, there’s a golf simulator to the left and a velvet-laden karaoke room to the right, which can comfortably cater for up to 12 of your friends. The retail outlets live upstairs on the mezzanine – which is the fourth storey. There’s ethical fashion and homewares shop Found, clothing store Rumor, a massage therapist and more. A jeweller will also join in April next year, while an all-day Italian eatery will open in March, overlooking the treetops with a large outdoor deck area. The Sheds are on the lowest level of Made, where you’ll find chef Karl Martin-Boulton’s eight-seat fine diner The Green. Its neighbours include Grey Roasting Co’s sleek brew bar, Mystery Creek Ceramics and Fabrik hair salon. Jaimee Stark worked alongside Designwell’s interior designers and Edwards White Architects to transform the four-level rabbit warren into “the Tron’s” own six-day indoor market, complete with 127 car parks. Made really is Stark’s proclamation of love for the city, where the builder-by-trade grew up.