Welcome! This week, our new shop in Timaru is opening, but on 14 June, we opened our first new shop of 2023.
We’re now open in Ruakura, a fast-growing area on Hamilton’s eastern fringe. Previously known for the University of Waikato and dairy farms, Ruakura is now home to the Superhub, an enormous inland port (logistics base). More residential developments are going in to the north, and the new State Highway 1 expressway offramp is right next door, so there’s also lots of through traffic. All of this means the shop has been busy from day one!
New shop trial partner Fiona Fu reflected positively on the opening, saying that
“I’m so happy to be the first Ruakura trial partner. I’ve been with St. Pierre’s for more than six years, working at the Ulster Street shop and also training to be a manager at Grafton in Auckland. It has been a great ride so far. The new shop has been so busy, the main challenges have been building a strong team while also keeping up with demand!
Customers have been really glad to see us open and our staff have worked hard to learn fast. We have a wide customer base already, from builders, office workers, uni students and in whole families coming in, so we sell a wide range of products.
I really appreciate the help we’ve had opening the shop. Several area managers and lots of experienced staff have come from other shops for the first couple of weeks before and after opening. They have really helped in training our new staff, who are fast learners, so as a team we’re improving every day. It has been hard work so far, but through a real team effort the shop has run smoothly and customers are happy, which is so important.”
Director Nick Katsoulis was very happy at the successful opening, commenting that
“The store has been so busy, the opening has exceeded even our high expectations. It was a wonderful customer response on opening day and in the weeks since, sales have stayed at a very strong level.
The Waikato has long been a great market for St. Pierre’s, and we really appreciate the support of the local community. We’ve been wanting to open more shops here, and Ruakura is the perfect location, right on the main road but handy for lots of local customers as well. We’re pleased to be offering quick, fresh, healthier choices to everyone in and passing through eastern Hamilton. A big congratulations to the grand opening team and all the best to the new members.”
General Manager of Property Oliver Shaw spoke highly of the new shop, commenting that
“We’re thrilled with the new shop. It’s a modern, inviting space in a fantastic location. It has strong local traffic from the business park, university and new suburbs, plus a lot of through traffic, particularly on weekends and busy holiday times. Our Bombay shop has built a strong through-traffic customer base, and we expect that Ruakura will be the same, but even more so with a large local population as well. This shop will be busy all day, every day, I’m sure of it!”
We believe that the Ruakura shop is already a landmark in this growing area. The new shop is another big milestone for the company, so if you’re visiting eastern Hamilton or just passing through, do stop by and see Fiona and her team – see you there soon!
