Word About Town - June Edition

There is certainly no shortage of activity around Invercargill at the moment, with new stores opening, familiar names relocating and several major fit-outs well underway.

This week saw a significant milestone as Plaza SuperValue on Yarrow Street officially relaunched as FreshChoice Plaza. The refreshed supermarket marks another chapter for the long-standing local store and gives shoppers a modern FreshChoice experience right in the heart of City. FreshChoice is a sister brand to Woolworth, operated by local store owners.

Just a few blocks away, Bargain Chemist is now in full set-up mode inside part of the former Farmers building on Leven Street. Shelves are being stocked and final preparations are underway, with an opening date expected to be announced soon. The large-scale fit-out has transformed the prominent site and is one of the most anticipated retail openings of the year.

Meanwhile, there is plenty happening on Yarrow Street.

Bed, Bath & Beyond has now closed its Leven Street store as the team focuses on stocking and fitting out its new larger-format store. Rebranding as Bed, Bath & Beyond HOME, the business will open on Thursday, July 2, in the former Finance Now building.

And for those with long memories, the site has an interesting history.

Who is old enough to remember when Noel Leeming once occupied the building?

Across town on Esk Street, hobby enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the arrival of HobbyLords, which is opening in the former Eureka $2 Shop premises.

The company currently operates 12 stores across New Zealand and Malaysia and originally started in Dunedin. HobbyLords specialises in Trading Card Games (TCGs), Role Playing Games (RPGs), board games, tabletop games, collectables and more. The company places a huge focus on creating a safe and exciting space where people can meet others, try something new and perhaps discover a hobby they never knew they needed. The store's grand opening is set for Friday, July 3 at 6.30pm.

Over on Leet Street, Hospice Southland continues work on its new retail premises inside the former Hunting & Fishing building. The larger site will provide plenty of room for the organisation's retail operations and is another welcome investment in the area. Months a go Hunting & Fishing relocvated to the former Smiths City building.

Invercargill's gaming lounge Orion PC's has moved out of the city centre into Windsor to better target its teenage audience.

Started by Ray Luck two years ago, the new move also offers the business a stronger footprint for its store setup, featuring two rollercoaster simulators, and two virtual reality treadmills.

And if your phone has taken a tumble lately, help is now close at hand.

Phone Parts NZ, a phone repair and accessories business, has opened in the former Wet & Forget store on Leven Street, adding another specialist retailer to the city's growing mix of businesses.

Jim’s Laundry Services has officially launched in Southland, offering a convenient mobile laundry service for both domestic and commercial clients across the region.

The first Jim’s Laundry Services franchise in Southland is operated by local entrepreneur Swapnal, who brings two years of industry experience to the role. He first entered the industry when he opened a self-service laundromat in Centre Street, Invercargill, always intending to expand into a pickup and delivery service.

It's encouraging to see so much investment and confidence in Invercargill.

From supermarkets and pharmacies to homewares, hobbies and community organisations, the city continues to evolve — and if recent months are anything to go by, there's plenty more still to come.

Have you spotted a new business opening, relocation or renovation around town? Send us a message — we'd love to hear about it. [email protected]