Chemist Warehouse's move to the edge of Bendigo's city centre could be a boon to surrounding businesses, a store retail manager has said during a very busy opening week.
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The chain has shifted up Mitchell Street to the corner of Mollison Street and retail manager Lisa Ansaldi has noticed an uptick in customers.
"It's been flat-chat over the two days we have been open," she said on Tuesday, September 19.
"Possibly that is because people are coming to check out the new location - everyone wants to have a look after these types of moves - but everyone seems to be buying things."
The store is now at 138 Mollison Street, where Luke Goggin real estate and several other businesses have been based in the past.
Chemist Warehouse's Bendigo store used to be at 49 Mitchell Street, a stone's throw from Hargreaves Mall.
Ms Ansaldi said the biggest change customers would see would be to parking.
"The elderly can park out the front and walk straight in, whereas there was only a loading zone out the front of the other store and they could not technically park there," she said.
The move already appears to have benefitted existing businesses in the southeast corner of the city centre.
"A lot of our customers are even saying they have walked over from the Marketplace, Ms Ansaldi said.
"I think we will definitely help out a lot of little businesses up this side of town."
Southeast side of city centre changing fast
Chemist Warehouse's move has coincided with a time of transformation on the other side of the block, where Mollison Street intersects with Williamson Street.
Construction crews are continuing works on the site of the former 40 Winks building and other businesses.
The multi-storey hotel is expected to include two restaurants and a day spa, in what would likely become one of the most striking changes to the area's streetscape in decades.
The building project started in May after the developers bought the site a rival hotel group wanted to develop across the road.
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Multiple developers have either sought or won planning permission for housing projects a short distance away in Myers Street.
That includes Uniting Housing's proposed multistorey, 73 unit development wrapping around St Andrew's Church, and the already completed Galkangu GovHub.
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
