South Island’s biggest supermarket, Pak'nSave Rolleston, is due to open on October 14. Photo / George Heard
The South Island‘s biggest new supermarket is scheduled to open early and below budget.
Tim Donaldson, Foodstuffs South Island’s retail and property general manager, said at 8100sq m, the under-construction new Pak’nSave Rolleston would be the largest retail outlet on the Mainland.
“This has been built for under $50 million,” Donaldson said of the supermarket, built by Naylor Love on a greenfields site, “and it will open two months early”.
The price tag contrasts with Foodstuffs North Island’s new Pak’nSave Highland Park in Auckland. That opened in February, is smaller at around 6000sq m, has fewer carparks at 329 yet has an end valuation of land and buildings of more than double, at $100 million.
The reason is higher land values and the cost of construction in Auckland.
Donaldson said the Rolleston store has 485 car parks and is to open on October 14.
The store at 157 Levi Rd is on the corner of Lincoln Rd on the suburb’s outskirts, beside the former All Stars harness racing operations.
About 250 staff will be employed at the store, with some recruitment to start towards the end of this month and senior leadership sought in July.
Donaldson said interest had already been expressed in 50 to 100 positions.
Phill and Sarah Blackburn are the owners, with Phill Blackburn having managed a New World Wānaka then owning New World Balclutha, New World Ilam in Christchurch and the big Pak’nSave Riccarton.
His father, the late Graeme Blackburn, operated the first Auckland Pak’nSave at Henderson.
At Pak’nSave Rolleston, Blackburn forecast 30,000 to 35,000 shopper visits a week, each with an average spend above $100.
The store has a 10.7m internal stud height, exposed ceilings showing services and an anti-clockwise shopper circuit.
Foodstuffs (South Island) Properties bought the site three years ago. The land was already zoned for supermarket operations as a permitted use.
The store has an 8100sq m gross floor area, is two levels high, has a ground floor area of 7300sq m and a trading area of 4600sq m.
Skylights are in many other Pak’nSaves throughout New Zealand – but not in this new store.
Steven Mitchell, head of property, said skylights did not meet upgraded building code regulations, so instead daylight comes from windows at both sides of the giant store and the glazed, double-height entranceway.
Eight checkouts will be staffed and 18 checkouts will be self-serviced, showing the rise of that newer style of shopping.
The store will have 60 hand-held scanners for shop and go, tallying the total spend with each scan, meaning customers can save time and money.
A 370,000-litre water tank has been developed beside the store for firefighting capacity.
That also contrasts with Pak’nSave Highland Park, where Watercare and Foodstuffs North Island clashed over emergency water storage but later reached an agreement.
Pak’nSave Rolleston, Christchurch
- Opens Tuesday October 14;
- Vehicle access off Levi Rd and Lincoln Rd;
- 250 staff will be sought;
- New two-level building is 8100sq m;
- Built by Naylor Love;
- 18 self-checkouts, eight staffed checkouts;
- To be operated by Phill and Sarah Blackburn.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald‘s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas. She visited the new supermarket courtesy of Foodstuffs South Island.