Shoppers queue at dawn to be first through Tamatea store's doors

One of the first customers at Napier's new Pak' n Save supermarket in Tamatea was Missy Kemp. PHOTO/ Paul Taylor HBT16295901

After a year under construction Tamatea's new Pak'nSave supermarket opened its doors yesterday with customers like Missy Kemp (pictured) among the first to try out the new checkouts.

Several people had queued outside since about 6am to be among the first through the doors.

On that front they were lucky when it came to paying for their purchases, as a check on the new supermarket just before 1pm revealed all check-outs were chocka - with queues numbering a dozen or more in each line.

"I think everyone who ever shopped here is here today," one local man said as he waited to be served.

"It'll probably settle down...in about a week," he said with a smile.

Foodstuffs made its initial resource consent to replace the original supermarket, which was built on one of Napier's oldest supermarket sites, to the Napier City Council in late 2012 and after the process was eventually and successfully completed work began in October last year.

The new building was built right alongside the original which continued to operate while construction was taking place.

"We have taken the opportunity to tweak the design of the store to introduce plenty of natural light, wider aisles and a more spacious retail environment," Foodstuff's North Island general manager for property development Angela Bull said.

Part of the redevelopment involves the addition of several retail stores.

"So that Tamatea Shopping Centre remains the hub of the community," Ms Bull said.