Supermarket on course to open in three weeks

Supermarket competition in Masterton is hotting up with the new 4500sq m Pak'n Save store at Kuripuni on the brink of opening.
It's companion store, the New World supermarket, which has replaced Write Price at the northern end of the town, is also nearing its major refurbishment, although work will be temporarily stalled over the Christmas period and the new checkouts and other finishing touches will be completed next February/March.
Once Pak'n Save opens on November 21 for business, the old Kuripuni store will be demolished and in its place will be built a Pak'n Save petrol station, due to open in April 2007.
It's the 13th Pak'n Save store to be built in the Wellington region and there are 40 nationwide.
The Masterton Trust Lands Trust is the owner of the $20 million Pak'n Save building. Foodstuffs is the major leaseholder.
A deal between Foodstuffs and the trust was sealed this week with the trust becoming the landowner of the entire corner site.
Pak'n Save's Masterton development has seen the employment of 180 people and owner-operator Paul de Lara-Bell says another 30-40 will need to be employed once the store is open.
"That's both full and part time and includes the 50-odd from the old New World shop. It's great to be able to offer so many new positions to local people."
He also enthuses about the flexibility which parent company Foodstuffs has given him in putting the Wairarapa stamp on the new supermarket.
There's a special section devoted to Wairarapa wine, and buyers are sourcing as many local products as possible, which will be featured in the new store.
"We want people to be very aware they are shopping in Masterton," he said.
Final ceiling panels are being put in place, shelving and freezers are all in place and staff are busy stacking shelves.
Since breaking his leg playing soccer, Mr De Lara-Bell has bought a golf cart to get him quickly between the old Kuripuni New World store and in and around the huge Pak'n Save.
"I couldn't have broken it at a worse time," Mr De Lara-Bell said.
"Using crutches was impossible with the distances I had to do in a day."
He said his cart had become an icon around the place and even when he wasn't aboard, people knew he was in the vicinity.
An official opening for Pak'n Save is planned for the evening of Monday November 20.