Retail News

Approval granted for Aldi supermarket at Wyong
Wyong Shire Council has granted approval for the construction of an Aldi supermarket store in Wyong. The new supermarket will be located opposite Wyong Grove Public School and the proposal involves the demolition of existing buildings on the site with construction of the new Aldi store and two commercial shops.

“Council’s retail consultant feels the proposed store will attract residents to the town centre and assist with Wyong’s ongoing revitalisation,” Council’s Manager of Development Assessment, Danielle Dickson said.

“The provisions of the Wyong/Tuggerah Strategy identify the site as one of the major northern entries to the Wyong Town Centre. The new store will be surrounded by other commercial premises and shops,” she said.

Council is also assessing an application for the development of an Aldi Store on the old hardware site at East Toukley. Meanwhile Gosford Council is assessing a Development Application from Aldi to build a 1,400sqm supermarket at Umina Beach.

Aldi currently operate stores at Westfield Tuggerah, Bay Village, Erina Fair, Green Point, Wyoming and Point Clare.

Shoe stores close at Tuggerah and Erina
Melbourne-based shoe giant, Figgins Holdings, are closing their Shoobiz chain, citing changed consumer behaviour and increasing costs as the cause. Figgins Sales and Marketing Manager, Sue Fletcher said, “We have seen a decline in demand with our Shoobiz brand having to compete with the likes of Kmart and others.”

Shoobiz had operated forty-three stores throughout Australia, of which two were located on the Central Coast – at Westfield Tuggerah and Erina Fair. Figgins owns retail shoe brands Midas, Mollini, Shoobiz, Scooter, Florsheim, Emporio and Evelyn Miles brands with Shoobiz being the company’s cheapest brand.

Coles preparing for war at Umina Beach
Coles Supermarket at Umina Beach is reported to be undergoing a major staged upgrade which must be completed before the end of 2009. Coles are gearing up for what inevitably will become a retail war zone as competitors Woolworths and Aldi bring new supermarkets online in 2010 and then fight for market share.

Woolworths Supermarket for Lake Munmorah
Wyong Council has moved to rezone land at Lake Munmorah by preparing a draft Local Environmental Plan (LEP) to enable the development of a 10,000 square metre shopping centre. The rezoning request – for land at the corner of Tall Timbers Road and the Pacific Highway – is to develop a major Woolworths supermarket, service station, specialty shops and a health/medical centre.

Council’s Acting Manager Future Planning, Paul Bowditch said the rezoning process usually takes 12-18 months to complete.
 Mr Bowditch said the development of a shopping centre to service the northern area of Wyong Shire was in accordance with Council’s adopted Retail Centres Strategy.

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