The Bay of Plenty’s largest enclosed shopping centre has hosted a who‘s-who of popular New Zealand retail and hospitality brands, weathered economic downturns and the rise of online shopping, and faced its share of retail crime.
In 23 years of managing the centre, Steve Ellingford has seen it all.
“I know it’s only a shopping centre, but this place has been a part of the Mount, Pāpāmoa and Tauranga for 40 years,” he said.
“I still hear the stories of people saying ‘I remember when it was a big concrete slab, steel portals were sitting there rusting away’, and that was exactly how it started.”
“We see our 40th birthday milestone as a chance to reflect on where we have come from, and look forward to where we are going.
“If you stop looking forward, you’re going to go backwards,” he said.
He prides Bayfair on being one of the premier shopping centres in the country.
“It’s not the biggest [in New Zealand] but it’s a powerhouse and is a strong centre.”
It was the first to achieve a 4 Green Star certification, and Ellingford said it had built a national reputation for progressive sustainability initiatives that set new standards for large retail formats and shared public spaces.
Developments over 40 years
Today, Bayfair is owned by Dexus Wholesale Shopping Centre Fund and Fisher Funds.
The land for Bayfair was purchased by Government Life Insurance, known today as Tower Corporation, in 1983.
A 3 Guys supermarket opened in 1984 and a year later another 27 stores, including the longest-standing tenant, Woolworths.
By 1993, the initial 9000sq m of leasable space had doubled to 18,000sq m and included Kmart and other specialty stores.
An aerial photo of Bayfair shopping centre in 2002. Photo / Supplied
In 2002, a $50 million redevelopment added another 14,000sq m and included a Farmers, more speciality stores, a Caltex service station and a four-level carpark extension.
That year, Bayfair also began its sustainability journey, launching an operation to divert waste from landfill in its food court.
Customer bins were removed, allowing all waste to be sorted by the food court team.
The shopping centre added another 1254sq m of retail space in 2010, with JB Hi-Fi among new arrivals.
In 2017, Bayfair announced a $115m redevelopment.
Stage one opened the following year, including an updated Countdown and about 30 speciality stores.
An interior view of Bayfair shopping centre. Photo / Supplied
Three further stages followed, including new speciality bars and restaurants, and finally, the 1300-seat United Cinema in 2020.
Today, Bayfair exceeds 42,000sq m and has over 140 stores and restaurants.
Looking to the future
Ellingford estimated Bayfair had attracted about 200 million visits over the years, with daily foot traffic of up to 32,000 on certain public holidays.
“Some days you’re doing a concert.
“A lot of people have walked through those doors, and the place stands up quite well to it,” Ellingford said.
In 2025, Bayfair covers more than 42,000sq m and has over 140 stores and restaurants. Photo / Wayne Tait
“I think what you’ll see over the next few years, especially this year, is changes in high-quality tenants coming and also tenants that may expand their footprint.”
Hoardings were going up and vacancies would make way for new retailers such as activewear brand LSKD, which will open its third New Zealand store at Bayfair at the end of this month.
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“This is a well-managed team, it’s got the right reputation, it’s got the sales history and the location that draws new tenants into the region.
“With retail, if you don’t invest, you go backwards.”
Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.
