The couple have owned and run the popular Hampden eatery, on State Highway 1, for over a decade.
The business had been on the market for over two years, before the sale went through last month.
Vanessa’s has been well-loved by locals and travellers alike for its friendly service and home-made food, including the now famous “Vanessa’s pies” and cheese puffs.
New Vanessa’s Cottage Cafe owners Zoe and Alkun Xu are originally from southeast China and moved to New Zealand nearly 10 years ago.
The couple are no strangers to the hospitality and retail trade, having leased the Merino Country Cafe & Gifts store in Omarama in 2023 and 2024.
Mrs Xu said they were looking forward to running the Hampden business.
Ms Hendry and the cafe staff had provided welcome assistance, ensuring a smooth takeover, she said.
“It’s very exciting. We have to learn how to make the food.
“Vanessa’s training will help us to have more experience,” she said.
They saw a story about the sale of the cafe in the Oamaru Mail and that piqued their interest, Mrs Xu said.
Ms Hendry said the sale was bittersweet, given their long tenure.
“The first few days were really emotional. One day I just cried.
“We took it off the market and then we kept getting approached by people who were interested.
“We weren’t expecting it to sell,” she said.
The change of lifestyle after building the cafe from the ground up amid years of long hours would “take a bit of adjusting”.
But they were looking forward to a change of pace and finally taking a holiday.
They now planned to develop their property at Whitsunday Islands, off the Queensland coast, and live a more “nomadic lifestyle”, she said.
Mr Lockerbie and Ms Hendry had worked very hard building the cafe business, putting in many long hours.
Hampden local Pip Muir, who worked for the couple for five years, said they would be missed.
“They’ve been good to work with, we’ve had a lot of fun.
“There has always been good banter in the kitchen every day — they were very good with people,” Mrs Muir said.
Mrs Xu said they planned to serve the same staples offered by the previous owners in the cafe.
jules.chin@odt.co.nz
