New shops at the old Dick Smith sites in NZ and Australia

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amiga500

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#195915 11-May-2016 18:31

Starting this thread as some of the 'new' retailers might be tech related, & hoping that people might find it mildly interesting. In the next week or two I will take a cruise around to check out what if anything is happening at the old Dick Smith sites at Hornby, Westfield Riccarton, Northwood, and The Palms.

In the meantime I can report that the old Dick Smith shop at the Riccarton mall has finally been boarded up. No easy task as it juts into mall by half a metre or so, but they have done a very neat job of it. The contractors have left the usual 10 cm peep hole so one can see into the shop to see what is going on. The Samsung, Spark, and Apple display stands are still in place.

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#1551634 12-May-2016 17:39

There are a number of industry rumours that JB Hi-Fi are taking on the Riccarton mall space... would also explain why those particular fixtures are still there given that JB have good relationships with Apple, Spark and Samsung. JB don't trade with Vodafone or 2degrees - so it makes sense that those fixtures which that DSE had have been removed.

It all adds up I'd say...

Dunnersfella

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#1551642 12-May-2016 17:52

About half a decade late for JB's... why they moved into Dunedin before Chch and missed all the earthquake rebuild money, I guess we'll never know.

loceff13

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#1551668 12-May-2016 18:35

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/79920271/new-computer-shop-pb-tech-taking-over-dick-smith-site

A new computer and electricals shop is set to open for business this weekend on the New Plymouth site formerly occupied by the failed Dick Smith chain.

PB Tech, which has branches around the country, is opening at 70-72 Devon St East on Sunday, a move which could eventually create up to 15 jobs.

richms

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#1551669 12-May-2016 18:36

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/79920271/PB-Tech-takes-over-former-Dick-Smith-site-in-New-Plymouth?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Looks like a good upgrade for the area.

edit: damn, beaten to it.

Richard rich.ms

amiga500

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#1551831 12-May-2016 23:01

radomatic:

There are a number of industry rumours that JB Hi-Fi are taking on the Riccarton mall space... would also explain why those particular fixtures are still there given that JB have good relationships with Apple, Spark and Samsung. JB don't trade with Vodafone or 2degrees - so it makes sense that those fixtures which that DSE had have been removed.

It all adds up I'd say...

I'd say you are right! The whole shop is in semi-darkness so I can't guarantee that the Vodafone and 2degrees have been removed, they were on the upper floor to the right so kind of hard to see from the entrance..

JamesL

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#1551835 12-May-2016 23:16

I saw the owner/or whatever of PB Tech Wellington looking around and taking measurements at Featherston St.

Wonder if they're looking to move there or they were just taking fixtures and fittings..

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Smithy100

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#1551946 13-May-2016 09:06

JamesL:

Wonder if they're looking to move there or they were just taking fixtures and fittings..

Were they measuring floor space or the fittings?

E + R = O

trig42

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#1552000 13-May-2016 10:03

Dunnersfella:

About half a decade late for JB's... why they moved into Dunedin before Chch and missed all the earthquake rebuild money, I guess we'll never know.

JB had a site in CHCH ready to go, then the September quake destroyed it. I have that from a good source.

Rents since then have been too high, and demand for a site with a big enough footprint (JB needs minimum about 1300m2 I think) too high/supply too low.

ojo

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#1552731 14-May-2016 18:00

Pet Stock (crap name) are taking over the New Lynn site.

Dunnersfella

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#1552826 14-May-2016 21:56

trig42:

Dunnersfella:

About half a decade late for JB's... why they moved into Dunedin before Chch and missed all the earthquake rebuild money, I guess we'll never know.

JB had a site in CHCH ready to go, then the September quake destroyed it. I have that from a good source.

Rents since then have been too high, and demand for a site with a big enough footprint (JB needs minimum about 1300m2 I think) too high/supply too low.

If that all checks out, then why now?

Prices are still going up? Tennants have their waaah on with the Westfield rents going up and up and up...

Maybe they think there's not enough toasters and kettles being flogged in Chch?

ferg_nz

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#1552856 14-May-2016 22:59

Have heard rumours of Jaycar/electus coming to the Invercargill DSE Site

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trig42

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#1552923 15-May-2016 09:37

Dunnersfella:

trig42:

Dunnersfella:

About half a decade late for JB's... why they moved into Dunedin before Chch and missed all the earthquake rebuild money, I guess we'll never know.

JB had a site in CHCH ready to go, then the September quake destroyed it. I have that from a good source.

Rents since then have been too high, and demand for a site with a big enough footprint (JB needs minimum about 1300m2 I think) too high/supply too low.

If that all checks out, then why now?

Prices are still going up? Tennants have their waaah on with the Westfield rents going up and up and up...

Maybe they think there's not enough toasters and kettles being flogged in Chch?

Yes, good point. I suppose Christchurch commercial rents aren't going down anytime soon. Maybe (if they are indeed going into Riccarton) the offer from the DSE receivers was a good one (DSE will have a lease they can't just walk away from) and Westfield certainly wouldn't want a store that size empty and boarded up for too long. JB are in a couple of Westfield malls now - they presumably have a reasonable relationship with Scentre? I'd say they are a desirable key tenant - they drive foot traffic.

Also, they'll be acutely aware they have missed out in Christchurch for too long. Wouldn't be surprised if another one popped up there shortly after the first one. They are spending a lot of money over the Tasman on store upgrades and refits (I think their conversion to white goods is rolling along with a bit of speed there). Maybe NZ has got a slice of that budget - AFAIK most NZ stores have had some sort of upgrade already (I see a few stores in Auckland are now 'Home' stores, and others sell small appliances).

k1w1k1d

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#1552955 15-May-2016 10:22

" (DSE will have a lease they can't just walk away from)"

DSE are in receivership, so I believe all leases, contracts, deposits, warranties etc are terminated. Receivers only have to get the best return they can for shareholders, creditors, IRD, staff etc.

JB could open up in a large suburban concrete warehouse type building. They are a well known brand and should have the pulling power to get customers. PB Tech has recently done this and seem to be doing well.

Dunnersfella

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#1553054 15-May-2016 14:26

JB likes high foot traffic areas, but with a low cost of doing business...

So desperate landlords are ideal for them.

I'm not sure Westfield's Chch are desperate, that place heaves under the weight of shoppers now there's no CBD for people to visit.

Like trig42 said, if they do open in Christchurch, then another store will flow along shortly afterwards as their supply chain will be strengthened and the shared costs will decrease costs of warehousing etc (this may well flow on and help the Dunedin store to be more profitable too). And frankly, while JB's have sold loads of stuff since they've been in NZ, the numbers say they haven't exactly been overly profitable, and the Aussies will be looking sideways at them hoping for not just an increase in sales - but ultimately, net profit.

Price rises?

50/50 split of media/electronics and white/small goods? Most likely...

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#1553057 15-May-2016 14:31

Makes sense for JBs to be in Westfield Riccarton. Until now they had no chance of getting sufficent footprint in such a high foot volume precint compared to other malls and locations aroud ChCh where foot traffic and store mix doesnt even compare.

Edit: I think they have had an existing commercial sales unit 'play around' doing business in ChCh for the past few years.

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