The biggest liquor store in downtown Tauranga is about to become even more independent. Birds Liquorsave in Harington St has been part of an independent chain started by Raymond Bird in Hamilton 14 years ago. He has sold his business in the Bay and Waikato for an undisclosed sum to another independentoperator, New Plymouth-based The Mill Liquorsave. From November 1, the seven Birds stores in Hamilton, Rotorua, Thames and Tauranga will be renamed Mill Birds Liquorsave. All staff will be retained. Birds has another store in Bureta, while The Mill has been operating a retail outlet in MacDonald St at Mount Maunganui for a year. The deal makes The Mill Liquorsave the biggest independent chain in the country, with 41 stores and 18 per cent of the take-home liquor market. The business started operating out of the historic flour mill in downtown New Plymouth 12 years ago. Stephen Fromont, The Mill Liquorsave general manager, said the company will continue to offer cheaper prices. "We are not controlled by the breweries and we don't have to make profits for overseas owners. We have survived because of our price promise to customers," he said. Mr Fromont said the expansion was vital to fight any new entrant in the retail liquor market. He said The Warehouse had registered a business name for liquor sales and changes in Australia had increased speculation of new players arriving in the New Zealand market. "We want to ensure that independence remains a feature of liquor retailing in this country," said Mr Fromont.
