Business booms bigger Massive red-shed plan a scoop for city

Whangarei's love affair with the big red shed has earned the ultimate accolade from management of The Warehouse - conversion to super-store status.
The Whangarei store will be the first in the country to be converted to The Warehouse Extra, and second after Auckland's custom-built, three-month-old Sylvia Park store.
The expansion comes amid a retail boom for Whangarei, with an extra 5800sq m of shops approved yesterday for a proposed stadium at Okara Park, and rumours national clothing chains Max and Glassons are eyeing sites in the city.
Property consultant Timothy Heath told a recent stadium hearings more retailers wanted to shift to Whangarei, but were hampered by a lack of space.
The city currently had 77,000sq m of retail space, but would need 105,000sq m by 2021, he said.
As well as boosting its electronics range, The Warehouse Extra will offer groceries, beer, wine, a bakery and a pharmacy.
So many shoppers turned out for the Sylvia Park opening that part of Auckland's Southern Motorway had to be closed.
Whangarei's current Warehouse at Okara Shopping Centre was the biggest in the country when it opened three years ago, after shifting from what is now Warehouse Stationery.
Warehouse general manager Ian Morrice said the popularity of the Whangarei store, strong sales and central Northland location had clinched the decision to make it the first super-store outside Auckland.
The Whangarei store was big enough to take the new ranges - most of the current products would stay, with extra space created by "compaction" and cutting back on duplication.
Changes in layout would "humanise" the big red barn.
New features would include an entertainment and technology centre, a home store area divided into "rooms", an improved clothing section, and lingerie, health and beauty shops.
The new fresh food area would include meat, fruit, dairy products and bread made on site.
A Warehouse Cellars outlet would sell beer and wine.
The conversion was scheduled to be completed within 20 weeks, with The Warehouse Extra likely to open at the end of November.
Inner-city retailers seem unfazed by the Okara shopping boom, but say they will need to work harder to keep customers.
Dave Ryan, long-time owner of Musicor in the Cameron St Mall, said ever more "satellite" shopping areas were springing up.
"I guess it had to happen. The challenge is to make it attractive to shop in the central business district, and do our own thing, better."
Mr Ryan said better service and the CBD's atmosphere would remain an attraction.
"It comes back to the staff, service, and stocking what people want."
One of the main problems facing inner-city retail was the scarcity of parking, he said.
Ray Topia of Keyman in The Strand, agreed, saying the CBD should be fixed up before more retail was allowed to spread to the city outskirts.
Okara Super Liquor and Countdown would not comment.
The Warehouse's annual report signalled the company would spend $60million on creating 15 Warehouse Extra stores over the next five years.
Changes are also under way at Warehouse Stationery in Whangarei, which is being down-sized. Two new tenants will share the space.
Up to 180 are employed at The Warehouse in Whangarei at the busiest times of the year. Mr Morrice would not say how many new staff would be hired.