Kilbirnie shop opening!

READ AND WIN $50 VOUCHER GIVEAWAY! PLUS CHECK THE READER PRIZE WINNER FROM LAST TIME! DETAILS AT THE END.

Welcome! On Thursday 30 April we opened another great new shop – Kilbirnie, Wellington.

Nestled between the airport and Mount Victoria hills, Kilbirnie is a vibrant suburb. It has a large residential catchment, but also a strong town centre featuring Pak N Save, Chemist Warehouse and a bustling main street, which we’re proud to be right in the middle of!

Director Nick laid out why this new shop is so significant.

Kilbirnie is a busy area, but there aren’t many good food options. We’re filling a need in the area for quick service, healthy food. 

The shop is opposite Pak N Save and next to Chemist Warehouse, which drive regular foot traffic drawing on the strong residential area and weekend shoppers. Kilbirnie is also home to some of Wellington’s main high schools, such as St. Pat’s and Rongotai College.

Plus it’s close to tourist draws such as Weta Workshop and a large sports and swimming centre. Apart from local traffic, Kilbirnie is on the way to the airport, making it a good place to stop and grab food before flying out. Sales have been improving every week as people find out we’re here, and we’re very pleased so far.

On a personal note, St Pierres was founded in Wellington and the founders spent a lot of time in Kilbirnie as kids. We had relatives in the area and know it well, and many years on, we’re really happy to contribute to the positive vibe in Kilbirnie. We think the locals will love our authentic Japanese food.

Design and Delivery Manager Alina was very happy with the new shop

This was a really worthwhile project. It’s such a vibrant community, there was a great turnout at the opening.

It’s an older building which presented a few challenges. But it’s at a good scale for our shops, so we could create a warm, comfortable, welcoming ambience that feels right for customers. We’ve also incorporated a sense of playfulness in the decor, bringing a lively feel to match the customer base.

We’re thrilled with the result. I’d like to thank Chemist Warehouse, who have been great to work with, and all the managers and area managers who came to help, including Edith from Petone as well as Hiroshi, Johnny and bento trainer Alfred from Auckland.

We’re really happy to have opened an attractive new shop in a vibrant part of our home town – but this will not be the last new shop this year. We’re actively working on more, so watch this space!
For now, we’ll be back soon with the thoughts of founding Kilbirnie manager April!

READ AND WIN!
Congratulations to Bo Jiang from Blenheim Westwood who won his choice of one $50 WOOLWORTHS VOUCHER or a DOUBLE PASS MOVIE VOUCHER at Hoyts or Event Cinemas for his answer last time.

Kapiti Coastlands staff trained at Queensgate Main and Kiosk, Petone, and Johnsonville shops before the opening. Thanks to all the managers and team from those shops for helping Kapiti Coastlands shop succeed!

This time we’re giving away the same prize.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Name three staff who came from Auckland to help with the Kilbirnie opening.

Entries close at 12 noon on Thursday 30 July 2026.

Please comment with your answer, your name and shop name.
Competition open to St Pierres staff only.