Mitre 10 Mega Prestons opens in Christchurch as $30m store unveiled

Miles Andrews, 39, member principal of Mitre 10 Mega Ferrymead and the new Mitre 10 Mega Prestons store, said growth in Christchurch had resulted in the city needing more Mitre 10s.

The new Christchurch store opens at 7am today at 390 Prestons Rd in the city’s north-east in the Marshlands area.

That property is understood to be worth approximately $30 million.

Growth of the Mitre 10 chain is continuing. Photo / Dean Purcell

Andrews said Tuatara Structures built the store in 12 months.

It will have:

85 new jobs32,354sq m total site area11,780sq m total store floor area4937sq m retail floor area2070sq m garden centre3475sq m trade drive-through and timber yardColumbus Café and treehouse-themed playground   

The store is owned by Tauranga-headquartered real estate investor PMG.

Andrews said the Ferrymead store was opened by his father, Tim Andrews, in 2007.

In 2016, he began working there.

He then became the member principal early last year.

Christchurch has a new Mitre 10 Mega at Prestons in the northern area. Photo / NZME

The Ferrymead store is also owned by investors. That Mitre 10 is similar in size to the new Prestons store.

A Mitre 10 spokeswoman said, despite the tough retail environment, Prestons would be the second new Mitre 10 store to open in Christchurch in 12 months.

Mitre 10 Mega Brougham was opened last year.

Andrews said the Prestons store would meet demand from the fast-growing northern region, particularly Burwood, Shirley, and Kaiapoi, Parklands and the northern New Brighton area.

“There’s a lot of new housing building in this region. Christchurch is growing fast. Retail is still pretty sluggish but, compared to the rest of New Zealand, many people are investing in Christchurch – look at the new stadium Te Kaha as well as the new pool opposite Hagley Park.”

The garden centre and a large treehouse-themed playground were aimed to cater for local communities, particularly with younger children.

Flowers on display at the Mitre 10 MEGA Te Awamutu Garden Centre. Photo / Kate Durie

“There’s also a big drive-through for trade services. Those customers are developing the city along this corridor and north. We’ve built the store with that in mind,” he said.

At Waitangi weekend, a three-day promotion is to be held at Prestons for its official opening.

Andrews’ business donated goods and services worth about $50,000 annually to the Ferrymead community, he said.

It also planned to donate to charities, schools and sports teams in Prestons and it had already started that process, he said.

Asked how a 39-year-old was opening a new $30m operation, he said: “I worked from the ground up. I don’t take this position lightly. We employ 250 people so it’s a large responsibility.”

He has a commerce degree from Canterbury University and has worked in the export sector, mainly in the food sector.

“But I’ve been in and around the retail sector since I was at high school at Christchurch Boys.”

Last year, Andrews won the Mitre 10 CEO achievement award.

Mitre 10’s new CEO is Lindsay Rowles who starts in March.

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

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