New Bunnings already making impact in the community

JULIA WADE

19 Nov, 2022

After a few years of anticipation, locals can now enjoy the offerings of one of the country’s most popular home and lifestyle stores after Bunnings Mangawhai announced their arrival with a bang on the weekend.

The brand-new $9 million store at Mangawhai Central along Molesworth Drive officially unlocked its doors with a grand opening celebration on November 19 and 20, with family activities including kids DIY workshops, community sausage sizzle, More FM Radio and special guests Suzy Cato and the ever-popular tradie Bob the Builder.

Creating 50 new jobs in the local community – including skilled experts providing advice on timber, tools, paint, kitchens, plumbing, gardening and DIY – the enthusiastic Bunnings Mangawhai team have been working flat out over the last few weeks, complex manager Sara Yates says, to make sure everything was ready for the launch day.

“We couldn’t wait to open our doors and show the local community what we have to offer,” she says. “Locals previously have had to travel to a Bunnings in nearby towns and now they can grab everything they need off the shelf right here in Mangawhai.”

The new store marks the 50th Bunnings site to open in New Zealand and spans more than 5000 square metres with features such as a main retail, nursery, landscaping and bagged goods areas, a drive-through timber trade yard, paint department and tool shop, plus over 150 car parks for customers, Sara says.

“The store also has a range of sustainability initiatives which will reduce the store’s environmental impact, such as LED lighting throughout and on-site water reuse.”

Local Bunnings staff have also pitched in their time and hands-on support as well as donations to local community organisations as part of the store opening celebrations, putting their skills to the test building an outdoor table, benches and accessibility ramp for social advocacy organisation Te Whai Community Trust, and laying pavers and installing new shelving for the Foodbank.

“We also constructed a new children’s playhouse and helped restore the walking tracks at Mangawhai Community Garden,” Sara says. “The team really enjoyed getting out and helping these social groups and we look forward to providing more assistance to the local community in the future.”

n For more information about opening days and times, search for ‘Mangawhai’ on the Bunnings website bunnings.co.nz

No more travelling to other towns; packed with a vast range of outdoor, home and lifestyle goods, Bunnings Mangawhai is now open and the team are excited to welcome locals and visitors to their new workplace. Pictured from left, Emma, Tina, Nikala, Alistair, Kylie, Anne, complex manager Sara Yates and Dee.

“We couldn’t wait to open our doors and show the local community what we have to offer.”

- Sara Yates, manager