Encouraged by the success of its popular central Christchurch location, craft and homewares store Spotlight is opening a second store in the city, in the rapidly expanding northern catchment of Belfast.
Spotlight has 18 stores nationally and has been operating in Christchurch for the past 20 years, building a new premises of approximately 4,000sq m in Moorhouse Avenue in 2019 to meet growing demand.
Later this year, it will open a large new store in Northwood Supa Centa, on the northern side of Christchurch.
Split into five blocks, Northwood boasts a 94 per cent occupancy rate with a comprehensive offering of retailers, hospitality, and ancillary services. The Supa Centa is anchored by The Warehouse with a 6,038sq m store, Harvey Norman, and Smiths City, who have just renewed the lease on their 5,100sq m of space for a further 10 years.
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Nick Doig, Director of Retail at Colliers Christchurch, says Spotlight’s substantial 12-year lease is another enviable anchor for Northwood Supa Centa, further strengthening the offering and customer pull of the complex.
“Spotlight has taken over the space previously occupied by Countdown, who needed a bigger premises. It’s fantastic that one anchor has been replaced by such a strong destination retailer who will be a real attraction for shoppers.”
Doig says Belfast is keenly sought after.
“There’s a growing residential catchment that retailers are keen to tap into, combined with the ability to service the northern satellite catchments of Rangiora, Kaiapoi, and further afield.
“It’s encouraging that we’re still seeing strong demand in the medium format retail sector, particularly in large format open air shopping centres where there’s convenient car parking right outside the door. That’s a strong lure for customers, particularly in the post-Covid environment.”
Prominently positioned on the corner of Radcliffe and Main North Roads in Belfast, Northwood Supa Centa covers 7.25ha with a net lettable area of 33,062sq m. It changed hands in 2019 and is now owned by a local investor.
Doig is confident the lease to Spotlight will fuel interest from retailers eyeing the last remaining medium format retail vacancy, which is a prime 455sq m site – including mezzanine – at the entrance off Radcliffe Road.
Zac Fried, Spotlight’s Executive Deputy Chairman, says the group is looking forward to opening its second Christchurch store later this year.
Spotlight is a privately owned Australian group, based in Melbourne.
Its first retail store opened in Melbourne in 1973 and has evolved to 135 stores across New Zealand, Australia, and Asia.
- Article supplied by Colliers
