The central business district in Masterton is humming and commercial properties are being snapped up as people are increasingly willing to set up shop in town.
Commercial real estate agent David McHattie said there is quite a demand for smaller shops as well.
"There's nothing really on offer in the 100-150sqm range. There's quite a buzz around town when you get the bigger players coming in," he said.
Mr McHattie says the buoyancy in the commercial property market is a reflection of the optimistic outlook of the region.
He notes that there has been a drift toward the southern end of Queen Street, but many of the once-empty shops in the north are now getting tenants.
"There are only two or three shops vacant now, whereas there used to be at least ten in the main street," Mr McHattie said.
He attributes much of the positive economic atmosphere to several successful years in the rural sector, and city dwellers moving away from metropolitan centres.
"Farming is doing well and people are moving here from the city and working from home. They have the discretionary dollars," he said.
Mr McHattie said there had been interest from other national franchise merchandisers eyeing up prime real estate in town.
"It's quite amazing that they are looking at Masterton when we've only got a population of 20,000," he said.
Property developer Florus Bosch, who owns several commercial buildings in the central business district, has tenanted his latest development to national footwear chain, No. 1 Shoes. The 800sqm store is just about to receive four forty-foot containers of shoes.
Electronics store Dick Smith's is moving south while another electronics store, Electric Blue, has opened up to the north end of the CBD. ASB Bank is just about to go into a new premises uptown and new budget store Coin Save has opened up in a new building where the Bradbury's Jewellers used to be.
The section of Masterton's Queen Street from Lincoln Road to the public library has seen a steady filling of vacancies and a consequent increase of foot traffic, which in turn has made the sites more attractive to potential leasees.
Mitre 10 has undergone an expansion and the space on Park Street which once housed Mico Wakefield has been converted to a commercial premises. The old State Theatre building is now home to Indigenous Consultants and the PaperPlus premises has been filled by a baby store, Mum and Me Ltd, which was previously in what is now the Telecom Shop.
Gareth Winter, from the Wairarapa Archive, said they had noticed significantly more foot traffic at that end of town.
He said the fact that the Warehouse has moved from its original position near the centre of Queen Street means that it is no longer a draw to the southern CBD for shoppers.
Mr Bosch's demolition of the old Winzenberg Building and its adjoining structure has meant relocation for two small shops. Women's clothes store Marilyn's, which has travelled north, and The Girl Hut, which has jumped next door into Mastermall.
There is also a Thai restaurant, The Thai Room, getting ready for opening early next month in a space near the rear of the Central Arcade.
Masterton CBD is booming
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