Furniture store Early Settler will open in the Homemaker Centre and a Bonds store will also open in the CBD next month.

The Bonds store will open in Liebig Street, at the former Baby Bird Boutique site, in late June.

It’s understood Early Settler would employ five casual staff members along with a store manager and assistant store manager.

A spokeswoman said Warrnambool had been identified as a great opportunity and would be the furniture companies 50th store.

The spokeswoman said they were in discussions with a local furniture transport company to assist them in delivering around the region.

Axis Employment, a not for profit organisation based in Horsham, will also open in Koroit Street in early July.

Axis Employment CEO Colin Barnett said the organisation had recently won the contract to deliver disability employment services and a young parents program.

He said the organisation would be employing five employees.

“Our specialty is working in regional Victoria, particularly in Western Victoria,” he said.

“Our new contract is for five years. We’re looking forward to getting on the ground and offering our services to Warrnambool and to the Hampden region.”

Warrnambool City Council’s economic growth director Andrew Paton said the additional businesses were a further vote of confidence in the economic activity in not just the city centre but the economic precincts of Warrnambool. 

“These businesses are investing on the ground and that supports the economic indicators which point to a positive direction for Warrnambool,” he said.

He said it was inevitable for markets to change and that was being seen in the retail sector with different businesses transitioning in and out of the city.

He said the significant investment in the city centre would create conditions that encouraged people to spend time and money there.

Mr Paton said the council regularly received inquiries from people looking to invest in the city and this latest investment confirmed that.