By James Wells
ALBURY: Harvey Norman has announced it will open a new purpose-built Joyce Mayne store in Albury on 16 February after re-branding eight former Retravision NSW stores to the volume-driven brand over the last few months.
In a letter sent to suppliers last week, but dated 7 November 2006, Harvey Norman chief operating officer, John Slack-Smith announced that Michael Ceravollo will be the new franchisee for the new store located at Unit 6, 94 Borella Road in Albury.
The Joyce Mayne store will be located around the corner from the existing Harvey Norman store which is located at 430 Wilson Street, but Current.com.au understands that the Harvey Norman store will be relocated to the Borella Road premises.
Other stores in the area include Harberecht’s Retravision which is located at 564-566 David Street on the other side of the Hume Highway in Albury.
Approximately 5kms from Albury are two electrical stores which are part of the $2.5 billion Narta buying group. The Your Electrical Store at Lavington, which is owned by Anthony Cowan and was previously a Betta Electrical Superstore, while the second store – Warehouse Sales, is owned by the chairman of Narta – John Wipfli.
Cowan and Wipfli both have another store each located over the Victorian border in Wodonga where they compete with a Retravision store.
A Good Guys store is also expected to open in the Albury district this year on the Hume Highway near the exit to the freeway.