Mitre 10 CEO Andrea Scown outlines trade growth and Auckland store push

Scown said the business was “transforming” with five new stores, despite tough economic times.

She also talked of Mitre 10’s further growth on the Auckland isthmus, between South Auckland and the Auckland Harbour Bridge, on the narrow stretch between the Waitematā Harbour and the Manukau Harbour.

“We could do with another store in Auckland,” Scown said.

“We’re absent from that central space so that’s where we’re looking.”

Andrea Scown, Mitre 10 (New Zealand) chief executive. Photo / Mitre 10

Mitre 10 Mega Mt Wellington and Mitre 10 Mega New Lynn were within that central Auckland zone, as is the smaller Mitre 10 Ponsonby at 272 Richmond Rd, she noted.

“But we’re pretty much not in the rest of the places. We’re a bit absent and there is a lot of mature housing, yet you can only fit so much into Ponsonby. We will continue to look for sites.”

The business had scoped a number of properties in the eight-and-a-half years Scown has been at the co-operative. Four of those years are as CEO.

Mitre 10 Wellington is due to open in November, 2025. Photo / Mitre 10

“But any retailer struggles for big-box space that is close to main motorways, easy to find. We have not been able to find anything worth taking forward.”

Bunnings the competition

Bunnings has a large-format store at Mt Roskill. Last decade, owner Wesfarmers also fought for and won the right to open in Grey Lynn.

In 2017, the Herald reported how after a long battle, the Arch Hill Residents Association won concessions in the Environment Court over that new store.

Nearby houses had to be checked for structural damage from the building work, summer trading hours are limited, loudspeaker use was to be controlled and traffic slowed.

Arch Hill residents protest outside the Auckland Council’s Civic Building, Auckland, during a hearing into the then proposed Bunnings Warehouse development on Great North Rd, Grey Lynn back in 2013. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Actor Tandi Wright and media personality Jesse Mulligan spoke out against the store after the neighbourhood raised issues of child safety, noise, pollution, construction, traffic and parking.

But the $42 million store has now been trading for some years.

Scown said five new Mitre 10 stores had opened this year and/or are planned to shortly:

Mitre 10 Mega Brougham St, Christchurch, opened during April;Mitre 10 Wainuiomata opened May;Mitre 10 Wellington Central, opening next month;Mitre 10 Mega Prestons, northeast Christchurch, opening early 2026;Mitre 10 Mega Pāpāmoa, opening mid to late 2026.

New trade distribution outlets

The second front for Mitre 10’s expansion was in the trade distribution network, only open to businesses or customers with accounts, often buying in bulk and often subcontractors or suppliers in the building sector.

Trade stores are not aimed at the retail sector.

The interior of Mitre 10 Wellington, due to open in November 2025. Photo / Mitre 10

“Our trade teams have years of local industry experience to help you manage the job, big or small,” Mitre 10 Trade said.

“Maximise your time on the tools by ordering online, in-store or over the phone and choose to collect when it’s ready or have it delivered direct to the job site.”

The Bunnings Warehouse store at Mt Roskill, Auckland. Photo / Richard Robinson

Scown indicated a strong appetite to take on the likes of Fletcher Building’s PlaceMakers and Graeme Hart’s Carters, although she did not name those businesses.

Mitre 10 has five existing trade distribution stores in the Hawke’s Bay’s Whakatū, Cambridge, Wellington and Christchurch’s Ferrymead.

“This is something you’re going to see more of,” she said of trade stores.

Mitre 10 has big expansion plans. Photo / Hayden Woodward

“There will be growth in this area because trade has grown as an increasing proportion of our business.

“It’s quite deliberate. We have larger sites dedicated to trade customers with more space in the stores and better access via transportation. As we get larger, we will just have to do more.”

The business cited strong partnerships with local and international businesses, which it said means it can stock a wide range of trade-compliant products at competitive prices.

Mitre 10 Trade names those suppliers as Winstone Wallboards’ Gib, DeWalt, Makita, Taranakipine, Bradford, bbi Wood Products, Southern Pine, Max Birt, Cemintel, Thermakraft, Marley, Ampelite, James Hardie, Genia, HiKoki and United Steel.

Mitre 10 (New Zealand)

Support centre of national 85-store networkStores employ 7400 staff, down from 8000 previouslyEstablished 197469 entities own shares in a co-operative-based businessThese are local owner/operators of Mitre 10/Mitre 10 MegaSome owners have more than one storeOften the biggest employer in areas where they operateChief executive is Andrea Scown, leaving in DecemberExtremely low-profile business, owners have little public profileChairman is Andrew Smith of Christchurch, started last AprilOtago’s Martin Dippie was chairman for 18 yearsNew stores opened in April and May in Christchurch, WainuiomataCentral Wellington, northeast Christchurch, Pāpāmoa to open soon

Anne Gibson has been the Herald‘s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.