How TwoSevenFive Day has helped Māngere's small businesses

Paki (centre) with the Haddon House team at the 2025 TwoSevenFive Day.

As Haddon House prepares for their fifth year at TwoSevenFive Day, Paki looks back on what the event has meant for the business, and what keeps drawing them back each year.

The first time Haddon House set up a stall at 275 Day, they had no real benchmark for what to expect. It was their first ever market. Within the first hour, they had sold out completely.

That was four years ago. In 2026, they return for their fifth consecutive year, and the pattern has held: every year they double what they bring, and every year it is still not quite enough.

"The support from the community is incredible," says Paki. But when he reflects on the journey, the sellouts are not really the point.

"What I have valued most is not just the sales. It has been the relationships. We have grown alongside other local businesses, community groups, and services. We have all had wins, setbacks, and moments where we had to pivot, but we have done it together. That is the real spirit of 275 Day."

Over the years Paki has watched 275 Day change. More locals come through each year, but now people from outside Māngere are making the trip too, drawn by what the community has built.

For him, that reach matters. "Every year we get to challenge stereotypes and show the wider city the excellence, talent, hospitality, and quality that exists in Māngere. 

"You can feel the pride our people have in the day. It is more than an event. It is Māngere Day."

While, 275 Day has been a real launching pad for Haddon House. Paki is clear that what makes the event special goes well beyond any individual business.

"On that day, politics, religion, and differences do not matter. What matters is community, connection, and doing what is best for Māngere. It has been a place where people come together because they genuinely care. That is what makes 275 Day so special."

For Haddon House, that is reason enough to keep coming back, and to keep bringing more food than last time.

To support TwoSevenFive Day, head to: https://www.tsffoundation.org.nz/support-us