Spotlight Retail Group’s first store at new Maroochydore precinct to open

Opening details for the first store in a $30m retail precinct at the Maroochydore City Centre have been revealed, with huge discounts on offer. Find out where here:

The Sunshine Coast’s largest outdoor store will open on Saturday marking the first of several to come in a $30m retail precinct.

Anaconda will open its Maroochydore City Centre store on Saturday at the Spotlight Retail Group centre across the road from Bunnings.

The long-awaited opening will make it the first store in the centre to open, with Spotlight – touted to be Australia’s largest – expected to follow in January and Harris Scarfe in February.

The 53-91 Dalton Dr retail precinct is the first stage of Spotlight’s broader development at the Maroochydore CBD, expected to be worth $250m.

Later stages are expected to include other retail, apartments, hotels or commercial ­office space at the neighbouring vacant block also owned by the $2bn retail giant.

At almost 3000 sqm Anaconda Maroochydore manager Ian Bannister said it would be the region’s largest outdoor store and become the second Anaconda on the Sunshine Coast.

Mr Bannister said there was more than enough demand for the two stores.

The former Kawana Anaconda manager said the other store’s popularity had grown particularly with the population booming alongside the opening of the Birtinya hospital three years ago.

“There is definitely enough demand for this,” he said.

“We’re slated to have more stores here over the next three years.”

Mr Bannister, who has 20 years’ retail experience, said the new store employed 42 locals.

He said it was the first of the outdoor retailer’s new concept stores.

“Everything we’ve learned as a company since we’ve been trading from 2008 has gone into this store,” he said.

He said customers would notice it was brighter and had a clearer layout and the addition of surf brand, O’Neill.

The store will celebrate with a grand opening event on Saturday, December 11, with most products discounted, a sausage sizzle and other food for sale and a visit from Santa.