Exclusive by Patrick Avenell
WOW Sight & Sound director – retail, Con Nicolas has outlined the group’s plans for 2009. Expansion is still the key at WOW, with further incursions into the southern states planned during the year.
Nicholas told Current.com.au that the first WOW store in Canberra is set to open this March. This will be the first new store opening since Shepparton began trading in late 2008.
“Now that Christmas is out of the way, the big focus is to open in Canberra and the other stores that are currently under construction.
“Shepparton opened and is trading well, considering we’re in an original town and the [economic] climate, we’re very happy. The support’s been fantastic from the locals there as well.”
After Canberra is opened, Nicholas’ attention will turn to the other store locations currently in development. The first of these is likely to be Oxley, which is on the corridor between Brisbane and Ipswich in South Queensland. This store is to be located in Zone complex, and will put WOW in direct competition with some fierce rivals.
“It’s part of a big complex we are constructing, and it’s in between Harvey Norman and Good Guys. That one’s earmarked to open up around April this financial year.”
As for further expansion, Nicholas identified a southern site and two more Queensland areas set to be WOWed.
“We’ve also got another that will open this financial year, down south in regional Victoria. Another one is Morayfield. Up in North Queensland, there’ll be another location there.”
As for any potential move into Australia’s biggest market, Sydney, Nicholas said there were no plans to open any stores in the Harbour City.
“To open up stores in Sydney? It’s a hard market and that’s not where our market it – you have to open up four stores to get economies of scale.”