An $8 million project to refurbish the Maryborough Central shopping centre in Queensland over the next six months will include a new discount supermarket.
The owner of the property, Hanssen Pty Ltd, says the project will also include upgrades to the car park, new gardens and landscaping, exterior and interior painting, and an upgrade of signage across the complex.
The company says a new fast-food precinct and the addition of a discount warehouse-style supermarket will create choice and price for Maryborough and the broader Fraser Coast community.
“I’m thrilled to be announcing this major investment in our well-loved centre,” Maryborough Central owner Richard Chen said. “I believe our customers will be overjoyed with the weekly savings Fresh & Save Food Warehouse will deliver for them, along with the high-quality range of fresh food and grocery lines that will now be available in a modern and family-friendly space,”.
The opening of the new concept store Fresh & Save Food Warehouse is claimed to be an Australian first.
The 4,000sqm supermarket will be constructed within the established Fraser Coast shopping centre to become Queensland’s largest independent grocery store.
Under the operation of Hanssen, Maryborough Central has given local families and visitors shopping with a range of stores, offering high-quality products as well as daily grocery items. The town’s only cinema is also located inside the centre and has four separate theatres.
The refurbishment is intended to reinvigorate the 30-plus specialty retailers.
Fresh & Save Food Warehouse is described as a new concept for Australian grocery shopping, where food items are consistently discounted due to the combination of a warehouse environment with supermarket convenience. It is a family-owned business supported by decades of large-scale food retail experience in the supermarket sector.
“Opening our first store in the newly refurbished Maryborough Central is the perfect opportunity for us to introduce Australians to a new discount grocery shopping experience,” Fresh & Save Food Warehouse owner Grant Prince says.
“Customers will be the winners on all levels, with an extensive range of high-quality fresh foods and established grocery brands at the lowest possible everyday prices.”
The new store will employ 150 people and applications will open this month.
Work on the refurbishment is underway and is expected to be finished in the first quarter of 2017.