Kmart sets opening date for Rotorua branch

Friday, 23 February 2018

The shelves are being stocked at Kmart Rotorua.

Rotorua retailers could expect a short-term loss of customers when Kmart opens in the city - but the effect shouldn't last.

Kmart has announced it will open in Rotorua on March 16.

Kmart has whipped up excitement before branch openings around the country - such as this one in Richmond.

The 4400 sq m shop will be fitted out in the new layout style being deployed at Kmart stores around the country.

Construction is under way. Kmart said the next step was to stock the shop's shelves.

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Store manager Forrest Worthen said more than 100 staff had been employed locally and two had transferred from other Kmart branches.

Retail NZ spokesman Greg Harford said Rotorua retailers might notice a drop in customers when Kmart first opened. 'Shoppers will get excited about the big new store. But it will be short-term.'

He said the arrival of a big retailer was usually positive for retail in the area.

'It becomes something that attracts customers in and that spills out to support other retailers as well.'

That had been noticeable with The Warehouse opening in smaller centres around the country and David Jones in Wellington, he said.

Kmart has been in New Zealand since 1988 and now has 200 branches across Australia and New Zealand.

It last year revealed plans to switch manufacturing to Indonesia, which it said would enable clothing price reductions of 20 per cent.

That prompted some New Zealand fashion retailers to say they could not compete with a growing wave of fast fashion.