Lyall Bay Junction wants a place on the map
Tuesday, 1 October 2024
Businesses in Lyall Bay Junction say they are are still trying to find their way onto the map with some locals not knowing the shopping precinct exists.
The Junction, a boutique hub of retail and commercial businesses, opened over a year ago and is part of a series of projects aimed at revitalising the area by the airport.
E-Beauty owner Erini Dinou said because the two front units were not tenanted, the junction did not look open.
She said the mixture of offices, storage and retail units which were scattered between retail units meant it was not seen as a “shopping destination” yet.
The design was not “inviting,” with signage and lighting not catching the people driving past, she said.
“It’s not drawing the locals in. People from two streets away don’t know what’s in here.”
Dinou said more social media advertising needed to be done for the junction, but there may be a lack of money to invest in this.
Jane Blackmore had her art studio over in Shelley Bay for 10 years before she moved to Lyall Bay, seeing it as “the new and upcoming” destination.
“There’s a lot of creative, female-led businesses here. We just need to build a community.”
Blackmore said the reason people did not know the junction was there was because people expected airport retail to be all Lyall Bay had.
“Lyall Bay has had lots of these old buildings for years with nothing really happening. It’s really only just starting.”
But it was also the economy, and she said it was a “really tricky time” to establish a business.
With clients and galleries making up much of her customer base, she didn’t rely heavily on foot traffic.
Hunter_Raver Studio owner Cath Rogers, who was about to open her art shop, said some retailers were upset about the design.
“It’s a weird mix of an industrial zone and shops.”
She said it needed more events to put it on the map, and planned to put on DJ sessions and creative workshops to attract more people.
Anna Janiec, The Polish Sausage Company owner, said she was only open to the public on the weekends.
She said there was a mix of trade from locals, surfers and people who had come specifically to taste her food.
When Burger Wellington was on, she said she had about 300 people come through the precinct, but she said that level of foot traffic was extreme.
Pick a Posy florist owner Philippa Anderson said since moving to the junction from Kilbirnie, she has had to focus on growing her website and online orders.
“I did think there would be more retail spaces but it’s good because the tradies and architects and accountants, they come in and support us.”
Lyall Bay Junction body corporate chair Adam Ellis said the body corporate had been working hard to increase awareness and make the precinct attractive to visitors.
They were making use of limited funds by establishing new signage on the beach front, planting out the gardens and adjacent dunes with coastal native plants and installing seating.
“There’s been some very positive investment in the area by some big players recently so the areas only going to get more and more popular and it’s awesome to be part of that buzz.”
A Wellington Airport spokesperson said the airport now owned four units in the Lyall Bay Junction – one on each side of the entrance to the complex and one on each end of the beach-facing units.
Beach facing unit Southward Distilling was in the final fit out process and Ataahua Bakery would shortly be fitted out.
The spokesperson said they were working through design concepts and consent for the waterfront promenade on Lyall Parade, to improve access from the Leonie Gill Pathway to the dining and beach precinct.
Wellington Airport was also working to replace the facade wall at the Airport Retail Park. She anticipated the construction of the new facade would commence before the end of this year.