Brooke locks in deal for Gate Pa supermarket

By Yvette Wakelin
Former All Black Robin Brooke is moving to Tauranga to run a supermarket.
Brooke has revealed to the Bay of Plenty Times he has snatched up Tauranga's newest New World supermarket, at Gate Pa.
Brooke, currently the owner-operator of Milford New World, said he and his young family were delighted to be given the opportunity to own a new store - expected to open in June.
"It's a major achievement for me and my family. We're hugely excited about it - it's like being selected for the All Blacks again."
Brooke, his wife Haley and their three children were also eagerly awaiting the move from the hustle and bustle of Auckland's North Shore to the sunny Bay of Plenty.
"I used to go to the Bay of Plenty for holidays as a kid and have very fond memories of the tiny bach we used to stay in at the Mount.
"We are really looking forward to the move and becoming part of the Gate Pa community."
The supermarket will be the main tenant of the $25 million Gate Pa shopping centre, which has seen the demolition of shops between 22nd Ave and the new Mitre 10 Mega store.
When complete the new convenience shopping centre, the land of which is owned by Tauranga's Dean Waddell, will boast up to 22 stores.
Mr Brooke said: "The store is the anchor tenant of the Gate Pa centre and I hope it will become the hub of the Gate Pa community."
When the supermarket is in full operation, it will employ between 150 and 200 people.
The youngest of the three Brooke brothers, Robin Brooke left his mark on Auckland, New Zealand Maori and All Black rugby sides during the 1980s and 1990s.
By 1998, Brooke was considered a senior pro in the All Blacks camp and was made vice-captain. He played the last of his 62 tests in the semifinal defeat to France at Twickenham but the man nicknamed "Moose" captained the Auckland Blues Super 12 team in both 2000 and 2001.
Foodstuffs (Auckland) general manager Graham Fabian said the company, which operated hundreds of supermarkets nationwide, was delighted to have Brooke on board.
"Robin has done an excellent job as owner-operator of New World Milford on Auckland's North Shore, which he has owned since March 2003."
The 3200sq m store will be the second Tauranga New World - the other in Brookfield is run by Dean Waddell.
The excitement of Brooke's purchase has also spread to site and development managers, Boffo Property.
Tauranga-based consultant Peter Williams said the shopping centre welcomed the news Brooke had bought the supermarket: "The retailers will be rapt to learn that Robin Brooke is going to anchor New World."
Meanwhile, Mr Williams' company was working overtime when it came to tenanting the site, which is already 70 per cent leased.
"We are looking for a real mix of tenants," he said, indicating BP and two national fast-food chains that are yet to be seen in Tauranga had already signed on.
While the service station will be in operation before the end of the month, Mr Williams said the first stores would not open to the public until April and the remainder would open in time for the centre's official opening in June.