Former Dick Smith's locations in Tauranga re-leased

The former Dick Smith building on Elizabeth Street. Photo/file

Both the Tauranga premises formerly leased by Dick Smith's - vacated when the company collapsed earlier this year - have now been re-leased.

Bed Bath & Beyond took over the lease formerly occupied by Dick Smith's at 2 Owens Place, Mount Maunganui about three months ago. Meanwhile, NZ Uniforms is taking over the Elizabeth Rd site in the central business district in December.

Most of the Dick Smith's stores in the major cities were leased to larger, high profile retailers, said Leroy Wolland, national director of retail for Colliers International, which is leasing the shops throughout New Zealand.

Bed Bath & Beyond moved from nearby Bayfair Shopping Centre. Chief executive Trevor Brown said there had been a redevelopment going on at Bayfair.

"The store we were in there was initially targeted to be part of that development, which would have meant us relocating anyway, and it just made sense timing wise," he said.

NZ Uniforms Tauranga manager Tracy Biddle said the company, which was currently in premises it owned at 371 Cameron Rd, had leased the former Dick Smith's store in Elizabeth Rd and expected to be relocated by Christmas.

"We had outgrown our current premises and we need to move forward to something new and exciting," she said.

Mr Wolland said Colliers had re-leased more than a dozen of the 62 Dick Smith's stores that closed, and had several more under negotiation around the country. Most of the Dick Smith's stores in the major cities were leased to larger, high profile retailers, he said. But many of the smaller regional locations remained vacant.

"Ex Dick Smith's stores in locations like Levin, Gisborne, Richmond and Wanganui are still empty," he said.

"The issue is around the lack of demand from national brands to enter these smaller cities and towns... it's likely these sites will be back-filled with local retailers as opposed to national branded retailers."

Ex Dick Smith's shops new occupants around the country include:

-JayCar, Noel Leeming, PB Tech, Footlocker, Petstock, Bed Bath & Beyond, NZ Uniforms, Lighting Plus, The Clearance Shed, Hot Spring Spas, Repco, Pricewise and The Golf Warehouse.