Letter to the Editor: Thursday December 1, 2016

Pop off

The Warehouse retail group has seen it fit to exploit Kawakawa by trying to organise a business premise for three months (December to February) for a "pop up shop" in Kawakawa's main street, to the detriment to all the other retailers trying to seek out a living and paying for occupancy year-round.

One would ask why, as the organisation is such a monster they would locate a pop-up shop in Kawakawa, as if they haven't got enough exposure to the community with Whangarei/Kaikohe/Kerikeri stores.

So when they move out at the end of February, what would they have achieved?

Made vulnerable businesses even more unprofitable? Milked the community of every last drop of its soul at the expense of having some businesses fall over?

Potentially swapped goods for cash and shown a fat corporate profit with no input into the community?

What a great corporate citizen they are. If you want to come they should have the balls to stay long-term if they care for the community.

I hope the residents of Kawakawa realise if they don't support the businesses that stay all year they can expect to be driving a lot further in the future to make a purchase. Vote with your feet.

MALCOLM FRANCIS
Kawakawa

P.S. Today I had a visit from The Warehouse regional manager, Tania and the Kaikohe manager, Richard.

They aren't out to target any business in particular, but their range will be summer seasonal, clothing/camping, and anything beachy.

So the intention is to suck a bit out of all of us over the December/January/February months. Apparently this has been done in Waihi for the last three years.

They go back because they obviously do well against manning a store year round.

I asked why not June/July/August, and was told, "We need to make a profit". So a plum site that's cheap in Kawakawa opposite the Hundertwasser toilets. What a coup.

Businesses of Kawakawa, beware they are coming. Hopefully we can all survive the winter months.

And remember, they are a great corporate citizen with all the best interests of the community at heart at a profit.

Tuis on tap in the boardroom at Warehouse HQ, "I believe".