Cosmetic giant Mecca coming to Dunedin as city upgrade projects continue apace

Dunedin, the "Edinburgh of the South", has been undergoing a major facelift. Photo / File - ODT

International beauty retailer Mecca has begun advertising positions for a new store set to open in Dunedin.

A Mecca spokesperson confirmed to NZME the chain will open a store in Dunedin in the second half of the year.

“Whilst we are still working through the details of the store and opening, we will be happy to share more with you in the coming months,” they said.

The Australian-born retailer has more than 100 stores across New Zealand and Australia; its most recent addition in New Zealand was in Christchurch last October.

A Dunedin City Council spokesperson said staff involved in the George Street Retail Quarter upgrade had fielded similar inquiries from prospective tenants looking to move to George St from elsewhere in Dunedin, as well as from out of town, including Mecca.

Christchurch's Mecca store opened last year. Photo / Supplied

“It’s always pleasing when we see a retailer new to Dunedin setting up shop our the city,” they said.

“Retailers are keen to understand how the street will function in future and what the completed redevelopment will look like in the area they are interested in, and we have provided plans and other information to answer these questions.”

Staff remained in contact with a few other retailers who were still looking at options and trying to find the right location on George St.

The George St retail area is receiving a significant facelift, including a more pedestrian-friendly environment characterised by new paving, street furniture, new lighting, plants, and public art installations, as well as the replacement and upgrade of ageing pipes below ground.

Redevelopments underway on George St, Dunedin. Photo / Ben Tomsett

Several other major projects in various stages of completion are set to reshape the city.

Construction on the new hospital is well underway, and Kmart’s much-anticipated return to Dunedin has the potential to pivot focus from the city’s central shopping area.

Pacific Radiology and ACC have set their sights on Dunedin as homes for their major office buildings, and structural foundations are well in place.

Dunedin mayor Jules Radich recently told the Herald he was very excited for the future of the city.

“There’s lots of building projects happening and more on the horizon, and I think it bodes well for the future today. I’m very keen to see ongoing economic development of databases today. It’s quite a high priority for me.

DCC Central City Plan project director Glen Hazelton said the main work on the George St project was winding down as it neared completion. There was still work to be completed in the Malls Block and New Edinburgh Way.

Ben Tomsett is a Multimedia Journalist for the New Zealand Herald, based in Dunedin.