New beaurepaires ready to re-tyre

STAFF at Masterton Beaurepaires are enjoying more space in their newbuilding, less than a block away from their long-term site on the Church and Dixon street corner.
Manager Brendon McMahon, pictured at the new site, said the old site had been a tyre shop since shortly after World War II, and Masterton Trust Lands Trust secretary manager Gary Percy said the trust had been involved for even longer.
The site had also been used for the making of retread tyres.
Mr Percy said so far there were "no plans for the site other than that it is going to be cleared" for redevelopment.
Mr McMahon said if Beaurepaires had wanted to stay on the site, "we would have had to knock that building down and build one, and it wasn't feasible."
The new building, on the corner of Bannister and Dixon streets, is in bright orange and blue, and the interior has a smooth, office-like feel.
"It's worked out really well for us," Mr McMahon, who has been managing Beaurepaires in Masterton for 10 years, said.
"It's a lot better. There's a decent showroom for the customers. That was the big thing that was missing from the other place."
Mr McMahon said the new site was still unfinished, as a fence, lights and a garden were still to be added.
PHOTO: LYNDA FERINGA