Proud opening for Plaza development

WARWICK SMITH/Manawatu Standard

NEW PHASE: Wiremu Kingi Te Awe Awe conducts a blessing at the new stage of The Plaza, which opened today.

The $93 million Plaza redevelopment opened this morning with a champagne breakfast and a ribbon-cutting by Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, after a long night frantically setting up shop for many retailers.

After stage three of the development the shopping centre is now 32,000 square metres of retail space. It was about 19,000sqm.

Thirty-two shops and food outlets opened today and 40 new firms opened in The Plaza through all three stages of the development, bringing 35 new brands to the city. There are now more than 100 stores at The Plaza.

The last shop to open will be a home entertainment store, Australian-owned JB Hi-Fi, which is advertising for employees. It will open in June.

JB Hi-Fi was a late addition to the development, only confirmed in November.

Kiwi Income Property Trust general manager development, Mark Luker, whose company owns The Plaza, said serious work started on the redevelopment in 2005.

He was particularly proud of the range of new stores opening in the city.

"That's probably our biggest achievement in terms of diversifying the retail mix."

The shopping centre is bigger than Porirua's North City Plaza, which is 27,500sq m.

Yesterday The Plaza was abuzz with staff adding last-minute touches to their shops.

Farmers on Broadway Ave closed at midday in preparation for today's opening of its new 7200sq m combined fashion and homeware store.

A quiet stream of customers grabbed a few bargains yesterday morning, among them Dylan Ripia, who bought a pair of jeans, and Sylvia Collins, who paid her account.

Farmers staff had mixed emotions about the move to the new store.

Nicola Hughes, who had worked at Farmers for 21 years, said the new location was "fabulous", although she was sad to see the Broadway Ave store go. Another saleswoman, Kathryn Claydon, said the new store would probably not have a resident ghost like the one rumoured to live in the old Collinson and Cunningham building.

Manawatu Chamber of Commerce welcomed The Plaza redevelopment.

Spokesman Paul O'Brien said Kiwi Income Property Trust had invested a significant amount of money in Palmerston North.

"We have strong evidence to support that this will drive visitors from Whanganui, Hawke's Bay and Horowhenua to the Manawatu."

The chamber noted the need to help boutique retailers in Broadway Ave to ensure continued vibrancy in Palmerston North's retail centre, he said.

Mayor Jono Naylor said today's opening was exciting for the city.

"It certainly cements Palmerston North as a destination for retail shopping." It would be naive not to think The Plaza opening would not have some initial effect on retailers elsewhere in the city.

"[When] there's something new people tend to flock to it."

Mr Naylor said he was confident that, over time, the development would strengthen retailing throughout the city.

In his speech this morning, Mr English acknowledged the "significant contribution" The Plaza would make to the local economy. Stage one of the development opened in March last year and stage two in September.

- © Fairfax NZ News