One of New Zealand's leading department stores is coming to Masterton.
Briscoes, which has around 40 stores throughout the country, will be going into a purpose-built building on Dixon Street.
This was confirmed late last week by Briscoe Group property manager Grant Duncan.
"We will be looking to come in before Christmas," he said.
The company is still in negotiations with property developer and owner of the site Florus Bosch.
Mr Bosch didn't reveal much detail of the new development but said it would include 88 car parks, most of them underground.
To make way for Briscoes some existing buildings will have to go, including Bin Inn.
Bin Inn owner Jim Smith, who has been in the business for three years, said he is planning to relocate to a Queen Street shop and is now negotiating with the owners of that building.
Also going is the building now housing Kate and Graeme Keen's secondhand bookshop.
This is to be demolished partly to accommodate Briscoes and to make way for a new building for Westpac.
The bookshop will have its last trading day on Saturday, bringing to an end the Keen's 22-year involvement in book sales.
Likewise, Nikolaison's Photo Centre has pulled up stakes and is in the process of moving into the old Farmers Home Centre a few doors north of the building they have been in for 27 years.
Nikolaison's PhotoCentre is run by sisters Jude and Susan Nikolaison and the move means they will have more shop space.
"It's going to be a bigger shop with a new, bigger studio," Susan Nikolaison said.
It's possible a ten-pin bowling alley may also be housed in the old Farmers Home Centre.
Partners in that venture, Darren Pilcher and Doug Fleming, said they have all the equipment needed for the bowling alley and are looking for a suitable location in the CBD.
They hope to set up 10 lanes in the bowling alley, a cafe/bar, arcade area for children and maybe space for a Lazer Strike.
Also on the move from a nearby block is Reeve Office Products.
The back section of their building is needed for the Briscoes store.
Reeve Office Products is shifting into the original part of Mitre 10, Queen Street.
Their move has come sooner than owners David Stevenson and Keith Hunt expected.
Mr Stevenson said they will be "out on the street in a month ... we might be peddling our wares in a wheelbarrow".
He said they are in "amicable negotiations" with Mr Bosch to stay where they are for a bit longer but in any event will shift to the Mitre 10 store in mid to late-April.
"You've got to take your hat off to Mr Bosch for lining up a major retailer like Briscoes," Mr Stevenson said.
Mitre 10 would probably have to condense its business into the newer section of the building on Queen Street until such time as a new Megastore is opened at another location.
Briscoes started in Britain but set up its first New Zealand store in Dunedin in 1862.
The company describes its business as a homeware, discount department store and also trading under the Briscoe Group umbrella is Rebel Sport, the largest sports equipment chain in the country.
It's musical shops in Queen Street as Briscoes moves in
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