Fast-growing district welcomes new Warehouse
The country’s newest Warehouse store has opened at the Five Mile retail centre in the Queenstown suburb of Frankton.
A small gathering of people waited for the doors to open at 8.30am on Thursday, following an official ribbon-cutting ceremony from Queenstown Lakes District mayor Jim Boult.
Boult said the move to the new Five Mile location, with extended hours, underscored the positive nature of development going on in the district.
‘‘The rate of population growth in Queenstown is growing at three times the national average so I suspect you will look forward to pretty good trading conditions.
‘‘We grew 7.1 per cent in the last 12 months and the road from the Five Mile to [the] BP roundabout carried 19 per cent more traffic in the last 12 months than the previous 12 months.
‘‘While seasonal people and visitors are important, it is the permanent people who come here and live here that are most important to us.
‘‘Permanent people get involved in clubs and societies and volunteer and help and are part of that fabric that makes up our whole town.’’
The rapid growth required infrastructure, he said.
‘‘In the past, I think our council has been guilty of waiting until the area grows before we develop infrastructure,’’ Boult said.
‘‘This council is determined that won’t happen and we are working very hard to develop that infrastructure before people come here . . . We do need some assistance from central government because we are a very small ratepayer base to develop that infrastructure.’’
The Warehouse chief executive Pejman Okhovat said the new location and refreshed store interior enhanced the overall customer experience, while providing more choice, affordability and convenience.
‘‘We’re excited to be able to provide a larger, more spacious store for our Queenstown customers,’’ Okhovat.
‘‘With updates made to our key departments, there is a real focus on effortless in-store navigation, as well as a wider selection of essentials for our local and visiting shoppers. We have invested considerable time into the newest Queenstown store, and the Five Mile location offers customers improved flexibility and convenience to shop at a time that suits them.’’
The Warehouse Five Mile Store Manager Mark Dooley said he had received great feedback from local shoppers.
‘‘Customers are our number one priority and we look forward to being able to provide the community with outstanding service and an amazing shopping experience.’’
The Warehouse Five Mile joined the Warehouse Group’s other existing retailers at the centre: Warehouse Stationery, which opened in October 2015; and Noel Leeming, which opened in December last year.
The new Five Mile store also created an additional 12 new fulltime equivalent roles.
It will be will be open seven days a week from 7am until midnight.
The Warehouse Five Mile is 25 per cent larger than the previous Queenstown store.
It includes the addition of a garden centre as well as more space dedicated to key clothing and homeware.
Shoppers also had access to a vast product range including beauty, technology, toys, leisure and sporting apparel.