Invercargill Central Becoming A Community Hub For All
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Invercargill Central is fast becoming a “must visit” destination in the city and developing into a thriving community hub as well.
Centre Manager, Kelvin Mooney said there’s been over 385,000 vehicles through the Invercargill Central car park and over 350,000 people visiting the Centre via the revitalised Esk Street since opening a year ago.
“As further retail and new parts of the Centre have opened, our visitor numbers have increased to where we are now having weeks where we have more visitors than our peaks during Christmas in 2022.”
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Currently, an average of just under 20,000 visitors a week visit the shopping centre, but it has become more than just a place to shop and eat, with plenty of entertainment on offer as well.
There are many choices for dining with Esk Eats eateries open daily up to 9pm and connectivity through the Centre to the newly refurbished Reading Cinemas further adding to the social and entertainment aspects of the space.
Over 650 car parks on four floors are now available, providing a safe space to park, right up to the last screening at Reading Cinemas.
Invercargill Central provides internal access to businesses in the newly opened 25 Esk Street, including Westpac, now open on the ground floor.
Kelvin said they currently have 37 stores open in Invercargill Central and 27% of this is food and beverage.
“We think that percentage is about right for what people are looking for in the CBD.”
In terms of entertainment and a place for the community to come together, there has been events, displays and performances, including the Night of the Arts and fairy door workshops plus an artist trail – in conjunction with He Waka Tuia and the Southland Art Gallery.
Coming up shortly is a Southland Stags signing event, a ‘stitch in’ to celebrate International Embroidery Day, and performances for the Cabaret Festival.
“The development of Invercargill Central wasn’t just about the Centre, but the centre of Invercargill as a whole and what would make the area vibrant giving our community a range of reasons to come to the CBD: to shop, be entertained and to socialise.”
Invercargill Central is also looking at providers in the childcare space and have canvassed the community for feedback on this.
“The feedback on social media and through the survey indicated that whilst a childcare provider would be welcome in the CBD, families are also looking for additional entertainment and activities they can do together in our central city; we are working to provide that, both in what we can have permanently at Invercargill Central and through our activations during school holiday periods,” he said.
“We’re currently having positive negotiations with retail and food providers for some of our available sites, many of which we hope to open pre-Christmas.”
New Stores to Invercargill Central in 2023 (so far)
January – Sal’s Authentic New York Pizza; February – Postie; March Bánh Mì, Sushi & Bento, Noodle Noodle, Flawless Face & Beauty; April – One NZ, Tech Pro; May – Luxurious Spa & Nails, Toba; June Majestic Tea.
All stores open so far (37 stores total)
Farmers, Skechers, One NZ, Amazon, Glassons, Hallenstein Brothers, Luxurious Spa & Nails, Starbucks, WingWing Korean Street Food, Sushi & Bento, Noodle Noodle, Sal’s Authentic New York Pizza, Toba, ReBurger, Bánh Mì, Majestic Tea, Unichem Pharmacy, Postie, Cotton On Mega, EB Games, Mister Minit, Pascoes, Flawless Face & Beauty, Just Cuts, The Coffee Club, Merchant 1948, Pagani, Max.