Goodbye, thanks for the memories. Hopefully, everyone got a bargain.
That’s the message from staff at The Warehouse Pakuranga, which closed its doors for the last time on Sunday.
The Times exclusively reported on November 7 that The Warehouse Pakuranga, which traded from its well-known store space at Pakuranga Plaza for 31 years, was closing for good by the end of January.
That day came a little earlier than expected, on January 19, and the Times was there to say goodbye and thanks for the service on behalf of the east Auckland community.
The Warehouse Pakuranga store manager Vivian De La Coliniere admitted it was “a sad day”.
The important news for staff members who wanted to continue being employed by The Warehouse is they’ve all got jobs into the future.
“We have relocated everybody that wished to be relocated, which is an absolutely fantastic result,” says De La Coliniere.
“I think that’s why everybody has been upbeat. Everyone has got what they wanted. Those who wanted to be deployed have been.”
De La Coliniere says The Warehouse had a clear idea how it wanted to display its gratitude to the east Auckland community for its loyalty and support as customers over three decades.
“What we did, when we had our closing down sale from January 1, that was our way of giving back to the community.
“That’s how we wanted to show appreciation, to say thank you for all the support and give back to our customers.”
Ian Carter, the executive general manager store operations for The Warehouse, says: “We’d love to say a huge thank-you to our Pakuranga community for their amazing support over the last 30 years, and to our team who made the store a special place.”
During the closing down sale, when considerable discounts were offered on goods, there were posts on social media expressing sympathy for the team working at The Warehouse Pakuranga because the shopping public – in their scramble to get a last bargain at the Red Shed – were leaving the store in a very untidy state each day.
“It was difficult for staff,” says De La Coliniere.
“I take my hat off to the guys. They were absolutely awesome. We had some great [public] feedback as well.
“Going through what they’re [staff] going through at the moment, with the closing and all the emotion, they absolutely did fantastic.”
De La Coliniere has been an employee of The Warehouse for 14 years and arrived at the Pakuranga store in March last year, after previously working there.
He knows through vast experience of the retail sector the factors that have led to The Warehouse closing its Pakuranga store.
He acknowledges the tough national economic situation has played its part through the cost-of-living crisis and people having less money in their pockets to spend.
But all the disruptive large-scale building works around the Pakuranga shopping and town centre associated with Auckland Transport’s Eastern Busway infrastructure was also a major reason.
“It’s not just economics, it’s everything that’s happening around us, as well. The construction and all that going on.”
De La Coliniere also recognises, like the Times has done for the past year in many news stories, that the Eastern Busway and Ra Hihi (Reeves Road Flyover) project works have had a direct impact on the downturn in trade at Pakuranga Plaza.
“It’s probably brought it [trade] down a bit within the area. When I first got here in March, I actually counted and there were 29 vacant tenancies in the mall.”
He understands the tax and rates-funded transport projects are needed.
“Looking to the future, and when you look at why, it’s beneficial to the area.
“East Auckland has the same population as Invercargill. If you’re looking at the long term, it’s going to be much more beneficial to the community.”
A standout memory De La Coliniere told the Times was The Warehouse Pakuranga was one of only two stores active during Covid era lockdowns.
“On the initial lockdown in March 2020, if you remember, there was no online [sale / purchases] for a day, but then the Government said you can open up for essentials only.
“This store provided the country with those. There were only two online stores. This one and one in the south.
“I don’t know if people understood that. When they were ordering online during Covid, for The Warehouse, it all came out of here.
“It was already an online store and had the infrastructure to do it, and because of the size of it and all the restraints – the two-metre distancing, those things,” says De La Coliniere.
“There were two shifts. The manager who was here at the time did the morning and I did the evening, so we kept it running, 24/7.”
The Times contacted Pakuranga Plaza on Monday asking what, if any, business is going to operate in the vast store building that The Warehouse formerly occupied.
It replied: “At this time, we don’t have any information to share. We appreciate your understanding and interest in Pakuranga Plaza.
“If or when there are updates that we can share publicly about any tenant changes, we’ll be sure to communicate these through our official channels,” says Pakuranga Plaza.
For earlier Times stories about Pakuranga Plaza and The Warehouse Pakuranga, see:
https://www.times.co.nz/business/exclusive-the-warehouse-at-pakuranga-plaza-is-closing/
https://www.times.co.nz/news/christmas-present-for-pakuranga-plaza-and-woolworths-says-sorry-to-customers/
https://www.times.co.nz/news/theres-a-kind-of-hush-at-a-pakuranga-plaza-christmas/
https://www.times.co.nz/news/pain-down-at-pakuranga-plaza/
https://www.times.co.nz/news/auckland-transport-responds-to-concerns-at-the-plaza/
https://www.times.co.nz/business/cheerleader-collings-flies-flag-for-pakuranga-plaza/
https://www.times.co.nz/news/busway-construction-drives-pharmacy-from-pakuranga-plaza/
https://www.times.co.nz/business/mp-weighs-into-debate-over-problems-at-plaza/
https://www.times.co.nz/business/public-opinion-on-the-pain-at-the-plaza/
