The face of Warrnambool’s retail scene continues to change with businesses moving in and out of the central business district.
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Liebig Street stores Rockmans and Bras N Things will soon relocate to Gateway Plaza with centre manager Melanie Wright confirming Bras N Things would begin trading at the plaza from the end of this month. Rockmans will begin their new store fit out from July.
Ms Wright said the new stores would fill vacancies created during the centre’s development last year and would be fantastic additions to the plaza’s fashion mix.
She said they were also excited for Muffin Break’s return to the food court, with trade to begin in July.
Liebig Street store Baby Bird Boutique will close its CBD doors on the weekend, after five years in Liebig Street, to allow owner Hannah Moloney to focus on the boutique’s online store.
This creates an opening for another business in the Baby Bird Boutique store, which lawyer and Pausewang family spokesman Tom Lindsey said they were looking to fill.
He is also in talks with prospective tenants for the former ANZ bank branch next door. “We’re looking at options and there’s a couple of prospective tenants who have raised their heads but it hasn’t passed preliminary stages,” he said. “We’ve got a couple of interested parties but it’s at the preliminary stage.
“As with their other leasing there, we’ve got Cotton On and the redevelopment of Provincial Home Living, they will make sure they get the right tenant to really add some value to the retail offerings along there.
“That could take a short period of time or it could take a longer period of time but they’re happy to take the time to make the right decision."
Fairy Street business Phinc Clothing and Homewares store and photography studio will move to Liebig Street from July.
Owner Tracey Togni said the opportunity to move into the former Gateway Jewellers store arose and she was looking forward to bigger premises in the main street. An underneath garage will also allow her to open a pop up shop on a regular basis.
Miss Togni said she had missed out on Liebig Street holiday trade in the past and the move would increase the businesses’ profile.
Warrnambool’s Bicycle Centre owner Stuart Pyers returned to Fairy Street this month from the Homemaker Centre after a survey of 100 customers revealed they preferred the store’s city location.
Mr Pyers who formerly operated Crankhouse from the Fairy Street site, said the central location was more convenient for city-based workers and cyclists looking for small parts or to have their bikes serviced.