Retailers revel in shoppers’ discovery
‘‘I’ve had to park much further away but that’s fine,’’ Subway Restaurant owner Bruce Christie says.
‘‘I’ve heard about Upper Hutt people who had disappeared on us who have returned and are really enjoying the mix and feel of our town
‘‘There’s so much to like here,’’ the Main St business owner said.
Christie, like other city business owners, is experiencing an upsurge in customer numbers following the November 14 earthquake and the closure of many shops in Lower Hutt.
Amanda Moir, owner of The Vogue Store in The Mall, said her new customers were surprised at the retail offer in Upper Hutt.
‘‘We are getting a lot of local people who normally would go to Lower Hutt and they are finding that the shopping experience here is easy and relaxing.
‘‘There have been a few traffic jams in the [Mall] car parking but it is still free,’’ she said.
Gayleen Avison said regular customers at her Main St shop were turning up with Lower Hutt friends in tow.
Many simply did not know about Upper Hutt shopping, the Avison Home and Giftware owner said.
‘‘For them we have always been just north and too far away.’’
Some now local shoppers had also not been to Upper Hutt for years, Avison said.
‘‘We’ve even had bumper to bumper traffic outside the store.’’
Maidstone Sports owner Tre- vor Domney said Sunday’s trading was his busiest ever.
‘‘And that’s after it started a bit slowly because of the All Blacks game.’’
Domney’s store, at the Queen St entrance to The Mall, had him perfectly placed to observe the increased competition for underground car parking.
‘‘There was traffic tied up out there all day.’’
Upper Hutt’s Montery and Miro cinemas are also set to make the most of the gap in their market following the closure of Wel- lington’s Reading Cinemas and Event Cinemas in Lower Hutt’s Queensgate mall.
Monterey manager Jason Kelman said the increased demand at the four-screen complex was ‘‘bitter sweet.’’
‘‘I was at the Events Cinemas when it opened so I have friends there who are worried about their livelihood, rightfully.
‘‘But from the professional side of things here, we are all guns blazing,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve never seen so many people out in Upper Hutt.’’