A Fresh Chapter in the Village Chandlers Supermarket Opens in Haenertsburg

The village trading store in the heart of Haenertsburg has long been a cherished part of the community - not just as a place to shop, but also as a part of the social fabric.  And now, with the fresh name above the door and a renewed sense of purpose, the next chapter begins as Ryan and Lana-May Chandler have taken over this historic space to give it new life as Chandlers Supermarket.  

Ryan and Lana-May Chandler bring with them not only entrepreneurial experience, but also a deep desire to become part of the fabric of this tightly-knit mountain community.  ‘We have been looking to get to Haenertsburg in some way, shape or form for about five years,’ Ryan explains. ‘When the opportunity of buying the trading store presented itself, the timing and finances, with the help of his two partners, Mike Fisher and Gary Chandler, came together nicely, so we decided to take the plunge.’

Their decision to settle here has been driven as much by the business opportunity as by heart. Having moved to Polokwane from Zimbabwe in 1981, Ryan joined his father’s business, Pietersburg Plumbing Supplies, in 1997 and went on to establish Chandlers Plumbing Depot in 2013. Lana-May brings a sharp financial mind to the table, having worked as a Credit Risk Analyst and Debt Collector in the building industry for over 15 years. 

Not even knowing the long history of the store, they recognised its value and potential. ‘We were inspired to take what was there and improve on the offering for townsfolk who want to have a comprehensive shopping experience closer to home,’ says Ryan.  Of course, it has not all been smooth sailing. ‘There has been the stark realisation that running a supermarket is way more difficult than we anticipated,’ Ryan admits, with refreshing honesty.  But the Chandlers, along with the long-standing staff, well known to locals, are up for the challenge.

Their enthusiasm and willingness to listen have already made a difference. They have taken community input to heart, tailoring their shelves and displays to reflect local needs. ‘With a bit of time, comes knowledge,’ says Ryan.  It is their aim to make pricing more competitive, as already can be seen on basic food-stuff and customers are enjoying the new range of plants, flowers, seedlings and soil foods, with garden tools, irrigation fittings, seeds and more on the way.  

And that’s just the start. A new oven and prover will be put to work in August, allowing Chandlers Supermarket to serve up fresh, homemade bread seven days a week filling the store with the smell of warm loaves, like an irresistible invitation.  

With his background in sales and operations, Ryan has implemented a stock re-order schedule to minimise gaps on the shelves, and improvements are happening every day. ‘Local support of any of the town’s businesses is crucial to the success of the town so we want to get it right,’ Ryan emphasises. The couple is also eager to support local initiatives and get involved with community-based projects.  ‘We want to offer our best and hopefully make a bunch of friends along the way,’ says Ryan.

For Ryan and Lana-May, the magic of Haenertsburg lies in its people. They love the village’s closeness, its caring spirit and the genuine warmth shown to newcomers.  ‘From Lana, Anita and myself… Thank you to everyone for welcoming us into your lives,’ says Ryan. ‘Your warm smiles, occasional hugs, many suggestions and ongoing support have meant the world to us and we appreciate you all!  A special mention and appreciation goes to our staff, without whom this would have proved near impossible.’ 

With heart, hard work and enthusiasm, Ryan, Lana-May and their team are quickly putting Chandlers Supermarket on the map.

Contact Chandlers Supermarket:  079 700 0003

HIGH ON LIFE AT BLOM

BLOM Pot is a budding new joint on the High Street in Haenertsburg. If this sentence got you concerned, maybe you should take the opportunity to pop in to BLOM to dispel the stereotypes and break the stigma attached to Cannabis.  When the BLOM team and Lizandra Viviers Joubert, the founder of Blom, opened shop in June 2024, she asked herself a question which informed all of her decision-making regarding the space, the people and product … ‘if my gran had to walk in here, would she feel comfortable?’  

Lizandra wants BLOM Pot to be a place for all people … from the responsible adult using cannabis for recreational use to an older person suffering from arthritis or someone looking for pain relief for their pooch. It is not just a private Cannabis club but also an alternative health shop and a healing space. This vibrant little spot has local artist Anton de Klerk’s colourful geometric art and is stocked with a skin-care range, massage oil and products for pets as well as CBD products, nootropics and edibles.  ‘My focus is on education and guidance about the health and medicinal benefits of Cannabis,’ she says. ‘Whether it is an ‘edible’ gummy, drops to calm an anxious nervous system or relief for cancer patients using medical marijuana, every person has a whole range of variables which need to be responsibly considered. I have made it my mission to research as much as I can about the healing properties of this versatile plant.’    

Lizandra anchors the experience of everyone who is interested in finding out more, with her frankness and knowledge base as well as her willingness to meet people where they are.  Many Haenertsburg locals have popped in to find out what the ‘new kid on the block’ is up to and have stayed for a chat.  Visitors to the area have been attracted to the laid-back space under a stretch tent with colourful rugs, cushions and comfy chairs where you can just take time out.  Many got as far as the distinctive ‘pot’ plants and were about to backtrack to more conventional recreational areas when Lizandra gave them a warm welcome and invited them in. Whether they walk out with a lip balm or just an open mind, the moment of connection has been made and the cannabis misconceptions start to fall away.  She is backed up by Jaco Calitz who previously ran the Clarens private cannabis club in the Free State and oversees Blom’s membership as well as Lazola, a partner in BLOM who is currently working on a Canna African range.

Blom’s mission is ‘to share, create, educate, network and break the stigma!’  Cannabis has over 50,000 uses ranging from skin care, essential oils and nutritional supplements to household products, fabrics and clothing.  For those who want to get the ‘cold-pressed’ facts, Lizandra offers Cannabis-themed events like the recent High Tea on Women’s Day which gave the gals an opportunity to find out about the benefits of cannabis for female health. The eclectic group of ladies enjoyed a lavish spread of Bistro’s mini pecan-nut pies, quiches and fudge with a range of (non-intoxicating) teas or a pink champagne punch as well as a bowl of Strawberry Cake joints for anyone who wanted to try one.  

They also host fun events for members and new friends like yoga sessions, easy hikes, cooking with Cannabis and their ‘Star Gaze and Daze’ where everyone brings along their picnic blanket and gets a free hot chocolate and a pre-roll for a mini, guided stargazing experience. Of course, there is much more to discover about the spiritual side of the plant as well as the Cannabis-economy for growers and much more but as Lizandra says, ‘we are learning something new every day.’  Visit BLOM Pot on Rissik Street, Haenertsburg and see how they roll. 

Contact Lizandra on 079 592 6016 | info@blomclub.co.za

DIRT CERAMIC STUDIO

There’s a new kind of alchemy unfolding at the edge of the forest, where mist clings to the hills and the old farm supermarket stands with its stories etched into crumbling walls. The sign is still faded, but something else is beginning to bloom here. You feel it before you see it - something tactile, earthy and alive.

Dirt Studio, like a mushroom after the rain, has emerged with quiet intent. It is the creation of Jean Dollery, a ceramicist, yogi, artist and something of a creative fire-starter. From the moment you walk in, you understand: this isn’t a polished gallery or a pottery production line. It is a space for transformation, for memory and, above all, for play.

‘Everything here is handmade,’ Jean says, brushing a curl from her face with clay-streaked fingers. ‘That’s who we are.’ Behind her, rows of raw stoneware and fired earthenware pieces line the walls, waiting for the next layer of life to be added by her, or by someone brave enough to try.

From the outside, you can still see the bones of the building it once was. But now, the concrete is scattered with colour - broken tiles in blues, ochres, greens and reds. Slowly, they are taking shape on the wall in a collaborative mosaic, a patchwork of stories pressed into clay. ‘It’s a memory of its own,’ Jean explains. ‘You destroy something to create something new…. pottery teaches you to let go.’

She would know. Long before her first formal lesson, Jean was already moulding bits of clay into forms - drawn to the way it yields to touch, holds warmth, remembers. ‘Clay holds memory,’ she says simply. ‘It records your presence, your hesitation, your intention.’ That idea, that clay can mirror the maker, is at the heart of what she is building here.

Inside Dirt Studio, the air smells of kiln-fired earth and incense. Music plays softly, sometimes not so softly, and light filters through old windows onto the working tables. Jean teaches with a grounded sort of joy, encouraging even the most reluctant hands to dive in. There is no right way here, no fixed outcome. It is not about creating perfection, but about finding presence.

‘Adults don’t play enough,’ Jean muses. ‘Especially men. There’s fear there, around creativity and release.’ So she’s created something of an antidote: three-hour classes (two evening and two day sessions weekly), where locals and visitors alike can roll up their sleeves and reconnect with themselves. She puts the music on, sometimes something sexy and rhythmic, other times gentle and meditative. ‘Let’s dance a little,’ she grins, ‘then go to the clay for instructions. It speaks - you just have to learn to listen.’

This is no ordinary ‘sip and paint’ studio. Yes, you can bring wine. Yes, Jean can organise a tapas table, but here, what you’re really doing is something more elemental. Participants are invited to sit in front of a lump of stoneware or terracotta and wait… to feel what the clay wants to become. Make a flower-pressed tile, a Mexican-style candlestick, or a mug that wobbles beautifully because you made it.  For Jean, even the wheel feels like learning a new language - one that allows you to speak with your hands. ‘Finding your voice in clay,’ she says, ‘is like remembering a part of yourself.’

Dirt Studio is also becoming a space for art therapy and collaboration. There are classes for kids, where the immediacy of clay keeps little hands curious. Jean is also dreaming of a yoga and art gallery area behind the Dirt studio. ‘It would be a mixed space,’ Jean says, ‘a creative ecosystem.’ She envisions a group of friends laughing around the big table, music up, wine glasses clinking and creativity in high gear and she is also creating sessions just for men, to loosen up… to explore… and to tune in.

Perhaps the mosaic wall best captures what this place is about. Each visitor contributes a tile - no two alike. And side by side, they tell a story of community… of creative courage, of play, and of memory set in stone.  Already, the word is spreading and Jean is inviting established artists like Emma Thompson and others to use clay as a new kind of canvas. The studio is simple, but set up mindfully and the energy is unmistakable: Dirt is not just a ceramics studio. It is a space of softening, expression, and of becoming.

In the end, what Jean has created here is less about pottery and more about possibility. A reminder that even in forgotten corners, amongst crumbling bricks and broken tiles, beauty can take shape. And that sometimes, all it takes is a little dirt under your fingernails to find your way back to yourself.

Connect with Jean Dollery on 083 709 9020