By Patrick Avenell
OXLEY: It’s 14 stores and counting now for WOW Sight & Sound, with the Queensland-based retail group opening up a new store yesterday in Brisbane. The new Oxley out is the fifth WOW store to begin operating in Brisbane.
Speaking to Current.com.au, WOW retail director Con Nicolas said that he was very happy with the public’s response.
“It’s good, there are people everywhere,” he said. “This one’s been a long time coming.”
Nicolas said that store was part of a Zone complex, which involves a number of large format stores sharing a communal carpark in the same retail block. WOW’s parent company SSI, owns the Zone complex, so it profits from both the sales at the WOW store and the leases from its neighbours. Other retailers on the Oxley site include Sleepy’s and Trade Secret.
The site is located at 2118 Ipswich Road Oxley, and is 2,000 square metres. Nicolas said this location is quickly becoming a destination centre for retail consumer electronics.
“We’re right next store to Harvey Norman on the left, and on the right is the Good Guys. What this will do is create a hub, a place to come if you want to get electronics. It’s great for the area.”
As the major sponsor of the Brisbane Broncos, WOW normally gets a group of players to its store openings. Nicolas explained that this wasn’t possible yesterday, with the swine flu a factor in the Broncos’ current commitment.
“They were going to do an appearance last Saturday, but it’s been a bit up in the air with the [swine] flu and with their preparations for the game.
“We’ll organise and get the Broncos down here, in conjunction with the radio station, and they can sign autographs for the kids and their fans.
“We always like to get the Broncos involved, we should, we’re the premium sponsors, but they’re also more than happy to do whatever they can to look after their sponsor.”