Knit World Information

Before creating his own very successful company, John spent the previous 20 years working for the Singer Sewing Machine Company, building his knowledge and connections in the industry, and gaining a nation-wide reputation. Knit World began as Creative Fashion Centre, which was located in High Street in Lower Hutt. John and his wife Lorna Goldingham's five children were still young, and the business was a family affair with everyone helping out. The store was a hit with the local community and John soon opened branches in Wainuiomata and Petone, as well as expanding the range to include haberdashery products. In 1984, Creative Fashion Centre shifted its headquarters to a new Epuni shop, which stocked the full product range of creative tools, including knitting yarns, fabric and haberdashery in a factory-style shop welcoming customers with various needs and desires. In 1987, with the purchase of Devon Wools Ltd., a Christchurch-based company in receivership, Creative Fashion Centre began its mail-order offering, which opened up the company to the rest of the country. Now, all New Zealanders could experience the friendly and knowledgeable service that had defined John's business and his success in the local community. Knit'n Save stores, specialising in knitting yarns only, opened in September 1989 in 6 areas after Woolly Weavers went into liquidation: New Plymouth, Levin, Hastings, Masterton, Hamilton & Upper Hutt. With the acquisition Crucci store in Palmerston North. In 1994, the opportunity presented itself to open the largest knitting yarn centre in the Southern Hemisphere, and we called it Knit World. Opening up New Zealand to a world of knitting yarns in 7,500 sq. feet of retail space was a hit with the Christchurch community where the store was, and still is, located. The vision that Knit World Christchurch presented became the main focus for the company, and other stores progressively began to change their names to Knit World. John's son, David Goldingham, joined the company full time in 1992, and then ...