FreshChoice Greerton owner-operators Laura and Alex Mason with their daughter Abby (left). Photo / Sandra Conchie
FreshChoice Greerton owner-operators Laura and Alex Mason with their daughter Abby (left). Photo / Sandra Conchie
Greerton’s new FreshChoice supermarket has officially opened at the old Woolworths site following a week-long makeover.
The refurbished supermarket opened to the public on November 26 after Greerton’s Woolworths store closed on November 19, to much dismay from some local shoppers. Twenty of the 38 former Woolworths staff had been re-employed at the new supermarket and eight had moved to other Tauranga Woolworths stores.
The store’s new owner/operators, Laura and Alex Mason, hosted an opening celebration at the store on Monday which included a specially baked cake, a waiata performed by a Greerton Village School kapa haka group and 200 decorated shopping bags full of treats for lucky shoppers.
The FreshChoice Greerton supermarket on Cameron Rd was officially opened on December 2. Photo / Sandra Conchie
The Masons were on the shop floor welcoming customers.
Laura told Bay of Plenty Times the week before opening had been “tiring” and “full-on” as they cleaned, repainted inside and out, added new signage, and made internal changes such as removing a wall near the produce section.
They had also installed new checkout and computer systems, added new equipment for the in-house bakery and butchery, and introduced a new security system.
“It’s been pretty hectic getting everything ready for the official opening, and we are still in the settling-in phase, but customers’ feedback has been fantastic.”
Laura said the supermarket’s 30 staff included her daughter Abby and another relative of Alex’s, three children of rehired Woolworths employees, and three staff with experience at other supermarkets.
“All our staff are just fantastic and because many of them have already built great relationships with our customers, they’re assets to our business.”
Laura said the store had a greater range of stock and more fresh food choices, including a food-to-go selection prepared by their in-house baker. As owner-operators they were able to source items directly from local producers.
The Masons would not disclose how much they had spent on the store makeover.
FreshChoice Greerton staff member Stephen Orr flanked by store owners Alex and Laura Mason. Photo / Sandra Conchie
One of the rehired former Woolworths workers was Stephen Orr, who worked at the supermarket for almost 30 years.
Orr, 50, said he was “rapt” to work for the Masons.
He said it had been “very stressful” thinking he would have to start job hunting.
“I‘m very grateful that Alex and Laura have given me this opportunity and it feels great to be part of the FreshChoice team.
“I love my job and helping our customers.”
Orr said it was great to welcome back many familiar faces and new shoppers to the new supermarket, and seeing their smiles was a “great feeling”.
Laura said Orr and the other new workers had “worked tirelessly” to help get the store ready to welcome customers.
“It’s been lots of hard work and the store has been transformed from top to bottom. Stephen and the other new staff are just awesome. I cannot praise them enough, they’ve gone above and beyond our expectations.”
Happy FreshChoice Greerton shopper Robyn Bowers from Mount Maunganui visited the store on December 2, 2024. Photo / Sandra Conchie
Robyn Bowers from Mount Maunganui said her mother, who lives in Greerton, used to shop at the Countdown store for many years and when the store started to look “a little tired and run down” she stopped coming.
“Everything looks brilliant. The store is clean and bright, everyone smiling and the staff were so helpful. My shopping experience was fantastic, I’ll be back. "
Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.
