Why Vape Vault?

From a joke in lockdown… to a full-blown movement.

Vape Vault didn’t start with a business plan.
It started with a joke during lockdown in 2020.

My aunt and uncle — both long-time smokers — had switched to vaping. But when Aotearoa went into lockdown, there was no way for them to get their supplies. No vape shops. No online stores that shipped to our coast. So they ended up going back to smoking cigarettes.

And as a throwaway comment, I said,
“Maybe I should open a vape shop.”
Their faces lit up — like, genuinely lit up.

And that’s when I realised:
This wasn’t just a business idea.
It was a way to serve our own people.

Born on the Coast. Built for Whānau.

Vape Vault was created for one reason:
To make it easier for our whānau to access a less harmful alternative to smoking — especially out here on the coast, where convenience isn’t always an option.

We live in a low socioeconomic area.
We’ve seen what addiction, stress, and poverty can do — how people put alcohol, smokes, and other things ahead of basics like kai.

This store isn’t about pushing vapes.
It’s about meeting people where they’re at — and giving them something better.

I don’t smoke. I don’t vape.
But I do believe in harm reduction, economic empowerment, and local solutions.
That’s what this business stands for.

— Larissa, Founder

Who We Are Today

What started with one person on a mission to help her aunt and uncle, is now a tight little team of four — still small, still local, still doing the mahi.

Larissa – Founder, systems queen, boss energy since day one
Gen – Brings calm chaos control + laser-sharp store management & product restocks
Varna – Gets sh*t done. The literal backbone of dispatch
Te Puia – Speed-packing MVP + proud menthol cigarette survivor

We’re not here to sell everything.
We’re here to stock what matters — and get it to the people who need it, fast.

What Makes Us Different?

• We’re coasties, not franchise corporations
• We ship within 24 hours Mon-Fri
• We offer click & collect within the hour from our store in Tolaga Bay
• We curate our stock — not just fill shelves
• We know who we serve — because we’re them too

Why Us?

Because it started with love — not profit.
Because we give a sh*t.
And because out here, convenience isn’t just nice — it’s essential.