Central Coast Business Review - covering news from the business centres of Gosford, Erina, Tuggerah, Wyong and surrounding suburbs. 

August 2010 Cover Story

While not all traders in the village are happy there is strong evidence that Woolworths is attracting new customers and these are overflowing into other shops.

Pharmacist, Michael Cunico, who owns the Souls and You Save Chemist shops in West Street, is very upbeat about Umina’s future.  “We are seeing customers from Kariong, Bensville, Daleys Point and other areas in our stores now and this was never the case,” he said.

“With Woolies opening 7-days a week we are  now opening on Sundays until 12.30pm and we are getting good patronage. Until Woolies came it simply wasn’t a proposition.”

Mr Cunico said with the new Coles supermarket opening in October and an Aldi Supermarket coming soon, he now has the confidence to expand his Post Office franchise in the Souls shop.  “I will be doubling the size of the Post Office in 2011,” he said.

Graphic designer, Barry Parker, whose office is across from Woolworths and has been in Umina for many years said, “the place has changed, when you walk down the street you get good vibes. We are seeing more affluent people, and that is in just a month.”

However, it’s not just Woolworths that has seen the potential for retail growth. Coles are presently converting their Bi-Lo supermarket into a full format Coles Supermarket that is scheduled to open in October.

The retail war that is set to break out in the lead up to Christmas will see Umina Beach become a retail shopping destination into the future.

Meanwhile, it isn’t all beer and skittles for some traders around the village centre.
Take away stores in particular are reporting a drop off in trade due to competition and short term street parking issues.

Woolworths are offering a bigger range of prepared meals, gourmet bakery, wider range of deli lines etc., all of which will encroach on the established take-aways and related stores.

President of the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, Matthew Wales, commenting on the changes at Umina Beach said; "the big retailers have realised that Umina Beach offers important opportunities to grow their businesses. This also presents a rare opportunity for small operators to re-assess their businesses and take advantage of the increase in foot traffic as a result of the big investment that Coles and Woolworths have made in the town. Contrary to initial concerns that the major retailers would squeeze small business, we believe that opposite is true and that the extra people in town will increase the spend base and improve overall business activity. It is interesting to note that in the three weeks that Woolworths have been open, turnover at the nearby BiLo (Coles Group) has nearly recovered to the pre-Woolworths levels whilst Woolworths trade has remained strong. This would seem to indicate that more people are now coming to Umina to shop rather than travelling off the Peninsula".

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