Keen Tauranga shoppers were lining up before dawn to be the first customers through the doors at the city's newest mega-mall.
Tauranga Crossing opened its doors to 45 new stores, 17 new dining options and an 800-seat cinema in stage two of the $150 million development in Tauriko yesterday. Early riser Jenny Walker arrived at 5.45am to be first in line to shop at global fashion brand H&M, which was opening its first Tauranga store at the centre.
Walker lived in Tauranga but was from Canada, where she said the brand was "pretty big".
"In Canada we line up the night before with our sleeping bags," she said. "I thought I was going to be late."
Jenny Walker was first in line to shop at global fashion brand H&M's first Tauranga store. Photo / Andrew Warner
"It is pretty good having one of these on this side of Tauranga," Aanedwiel said.
Opening of Tauranga Crossing mall. Photo / Andrew Warner
Tauranga sisters Sophia and Neve Fraser-Brown waited arrived at 6.40am to get their place in line.
"It's great that Tauranga had the opportunity to have a new shopping mall," Sophia said.
Tauriko resident Wendy Lowe was excited to have a shopping mall in her neighbourhood.
"The best thing that happened here was Pak'nSave but this is huge."
The line continued to grow as hundreds of shoppers waited patiently to see inside stage two of the new complex.
Shoppers get their first look inside the newest stage of Tauranga Crossing. Photo / Andrew Warner
Te Wharekura o Mauao students performed a rousing haka and former radio host Jay Reeve lead a countdown before children from Tauriko, Greenpark and Taumata schools dropped the ribbon - and the doors clicked open for hundreds of shoppers to file in.
Many headed to the H&M store to witness about 50 staff dance to a number of songs to welcome in their first customers.
The new mall houses some of Tauranga's newest stores including global fashion retailer H&M, lingerie store Bras N Things, City Chic and Skechers.
A two-level dining area and entertainment precinct, featuring an 800-seat Event Cinema complex and Vmax screen with full recliner chairs and double day beds, has also opened as part of stage two.
