Billboards highlight business rivalry

CHOICE: Mitre 10 Mega billboards appeared in Hastings at the same time Bunnings Warehouse opened its first large store in the region. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN

Mitre 10 Mega is engaging in some trans-Tasman billboard rivalry with arch-rival and newcomer Bunnings Warehouse, which opened its first large store in the region.

One Mitre 10 billboard has the words "chilly bin" with a tick and "eskie" with a cross. Another has the words "underarm" and "overarm" which is similarly ticked and crossed, alluding to the 1981 cricket test underarm bowling incident.

Mitre 10 Mega Napier and Hastings co-owner Graeme Ricketts said the billboards were a "fun" way to respond to Australia's largest household hardware chain's Bunnings Hastings Central at the former premises of The Warehouse on Market St North.

"We knew Bunnings were coming to town so the whole idea was to make people laugh and remind them we are still here and are locally owned and operated," he said.

He said there were plans for more billboards but would not divulge their slogans.

He said Bunnings were very welcome and he wasn't worried about competition.

"There are a lot of industries with more than one player in it - we are quite accepting of that.

"I think we can fight it out and hold our heads up high. We'll carry on doing what we are doing and do it well. We know our customer service is at a very high level - we want to continue with that - and our range and overall shopping experience is better.

When asked why he said while the new store presented its wares "reasonably good" in his opinion it felt "cluttered" and trade/timber sales were only at Bunnings' King St site.

He said business was currently very good in the retail sector.

"We are definitely back into DIY spending. I guess with money being cheap, thanks to historically-low interest rates, people are definitely prepared to get back to investing in DIY property projects."

Until the recent opening of its Hastings Central store Bunnings had difficulty gaining traction for a large store in Hawke's Bay.

In 2011 the Environment Court turned down Bunnings' appeal for zoning of a 10,263sq m site on the corner of Pakowhai and Evenden Rds because it was zoned for food production.

In 2004 Bunnings had an option to purchase the current Mitre 10 Mega site in Napier's Prebensen Drive but let the option lapse while waiting on ratification from its Australian head office, allowing the Ricketts family to secure the property.

Bunnings closed its Napier branch in 2014 with the loss of 23 jobs, saying it was too small and was actively looking for a suitable site in the area.

Its new Hastings store has brought 50 new jobs.

A Bunnings spokesperson declined to provide comment for this story.