Relocates to bigger space.

Harvey Norman has opened a new store at Booval, Ipswich giving the retailer a larger presence in South East Queensland. The destination store is almost twice the size of the previous store that was located in the Ipswich Mall with furniture, bedding and flooring added to existing computers and electricals.

“Ipswich now has a fully-fledged 7,000 sqm superstore,” Harvey Norman Electrical franchisee, Ryan Whittingstall told Appliance Retailer. Staff numbers have also increased to 35, more than double that were employed in the old store, he said. “It is a massive investment in the local community for Harvey Norman. There is no other retailer with this footprint here able to offer customers such a wide range of product. All the departments are under one roof so customers don’t need to visit several shops to buy all their household requirements and can get everything delivered at once. It also has the advantage of undercover parking.”

Next week the store will unveil its cooking display which Whittingstall said would be “the biggest in Ipswich”. The 270 sqm area will showcase all major brands from entry level to high end appliances with kitchen displays set up so customers can visualise for style and size how the appliances will look in their home.

The new store is located on Brisbane Road, the main arterial road on the freeway, previously the site of a Bunnings business which has relocated nearby. There was a soft opening for the store last Monday with a four day whitegoods sale that started last Friday. The store is also gearing up for its ‘grand opening’ on May 1 and running a promotion where the customer only has to spend one dollar to be eligible to enter a draw to win a Holden Astra.

The area has a mixed demographic from university students and retirees to blue collar workers and personnel from the Amberley air force base.

Whittingstall said trade has been strong, particularly for air conditioning and small kitchen appliances.  He said consumers like their kettles, toasters and mixes colour-matched to the kitchen décor. Consumers are also picking up on the stick vacs trend and TVs with a tripod stand are popular, becoming something of a fashion accessory.

Online business is good with customer utilising both click and collect and having goods delivered to them, he said.