- Noel Cimadom and Kim Smythe are selling their 70s-inspired waterfront home in Tauranga.
- The couple, known for The Clarence and Picnicka, are moving back to Cambridge for family reasons.
- Bayleys agent Gregers Andersen said the home would suit a design-conscious couple or family.
The Kiwi couple who revolutionised the Bay of Plenty’s restaurant and bar scene are reluctantly selling their dream home.
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Noel Cimadom and Kim Smythe told OneRoof that they never really planned to live in Tauranga but made the leap when they spotted a magazine feature on a striking home at 92 Myres Street, in Otumoetai.
The masterminds behind some of Tauranga’s best restaurants, including The Clarence, Picnicka and Stassano, said they instantly fell in love with the 70s-inspired waterfront house designed by architect James Fenton.
They were living in Cambridge at the time, running their first restaurant, Alpino, but they knew that a move to Tauranga was on the horizon.
The home, designed by architect James Fenton, has a 1970s inspired vibe. Photo / Supplied
The marble island bench in the kitchen has been the perfect entertaining spot for the restaurateurs. Photo / Supplied
“My wife said at some point, if we get that house, we move to Tauranga,” Noel told OneRoof.
It wasn’t until they opened their second restaurant – The Clarence in Tauranga – at the end of 2018 that everything started to fall into place.
“We already had a couple of businesses in town and met some people who invited us for a BBQ, and when we rocked up there, it was that house,” Noel said.
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“Kim just looked at the owners of 92 Myres Street and said, ‘What are you doing living in my house?’.”
He said they knew they had to “bite the bullet” and make the shift when they heard the house was for sale a few months later.
That was five years ago, and Noel and Kim are just as enthusiastic about the house now as they were back then.
“It’s an incredible house. It’s very unique,” Noel said, noting that he could walk the dogs to the couple’s restaurant, The Clarence, in just 18 minutes.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home overlooks Tauranga Harbour and is a short stroll to the CBD. Photo / Supplied
“We’ve thrown some serious parties there, and it has a woodfire outside and a nice outdoor area. It’s a great place to hang out with friends for sure.”
With Noel splitting his time between Tauranga and Cambridge for work, the couple have decided to make the move back over the Kaimais. They have bought a lifestyle block in Karapiro.
“We had a great five years there. We are moving back because the kids are growing up and are into horses and animals and farms, and so we thought we would give them a different lifestyle before they move out.”
Funnily enough, Noel and Kim aren’t the first hospitality gurus to own 92 Myres Street. The house was originally built in 2015 for the owner of Astrolabe Brewbar in Mount Maunganui.
“You can really see the connection between our house and the pub,” he said, adding that both were 70s-inspired.
Bayleys listing agent Gregers Andersen said Noel and Kim had changed Tauranga's hospitality landscape first with The Clarence and more recently Picnicka.
“They just create a really amazing ambience and it just feels like they’ve bought some sophistication to Tauranga.”
He said their home at 92 Myres Street would suit a design-conscious couple or family. “Each room is a conversation piece in itself. From the sunken lounge to the dining room, which continues to the Axminster carpet.”
So far, he has received interest from expat Kiwis and slightly older couples looking for a quality home that pays homage to the 1960s and 70s.
- 92 Myers Street, in Otumoetai, Tauranga, goes to auction on December 10
