Cairns businesses are expected to benefit from a major new consturction project and hardware retail project due in early 2012. The Masters Hardware Business, owned by Woolworths, may have significant impact on existing Cairns Hardware businesses, particularly smaller local and independant companies which are already struggling due to the prolong GFC and now high Aussie dollar and the resultant impact on the Cairns tourism and construction industries
New Cairns hardware store to help business sector recover
A NEW $20 million hardware store employing up to 150 people is due to open in Cairns in the first half of next year.
It will be one of the Woolworths chain’s 150 Masters stores rolled out nationally to rival Bunnings and other chains such as
Mitre 10.
Yesterday’s announcement follows the Catholic Diocese’s decision to build a $30 million college at Mt Peter, as well as construction starting on a $50 million expansion of Mt Sheridan Plaza and plans for a shopping centre at Gordonvale.
It was welcomed by the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Far Northern spokesman Brett Moller, who said it would help the region “climb out of the economic trough and return confidence to the business sector”.
The centre will be built at Portsmith, just a block away from Bunnings, and create 100 jobs during construction.
Company spokesman Simon Berger said the company was in the process of selecting a builder and hoped work would start in the next few months.
Mr Berger said there would be 130 to 150 full- and part-time staff employed within two months of opening and they would be trained extensively.
“They will receive a minimum of 100 hours training,” he said.
He said the store environment would differentiate Masters from its competitors.
“It will not look like a shed,” Mr Berger said.
He said Masters would target women, who made most of the decisions about improvements around the home.
“This will be a shopping experience, not just for tradies loading up with tools.”
Woolworths and US hardware chain Lowe’s are partners in Masters, which is aggressively targeting the $42 billion hardware sector.
The first store is expected to open in Melbourne in September-October.
Not just a tradies hub: An artist's impression of a Masters store.
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