Retail war to flare as Woolies takes on Coles in Hyperdome overhaul

The battle for the retail dollar between Coles and Woolworths will kick up a notch when a refurbished wing opens at one of the largest single-level shopping centres in the country. WATCH THE VIDEO.

THE battle for the retail dollar between Coles and Woolworths will kick up a notch when a refurbished wing opens at one of the largest single-level shopping centres in the country.

The retail war between the two grocery giants will never be more obvious than when a $60 million renovation at the Hyperdome’s northern wing is completed by November.

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Often referred to as the “Far End”, trade at the northern section has largely failed since the centre’s two large tenants, Bi-Lo and Myer, exited in 2018.

Since then, more than 10 small boutique retailers at the northern end of the centre have closed paving the way for the southern end to dominate trade with large tenants Aldi, Coles and Kmart monopolising two main entrances.

But the balance is about to change with a refurbished northern mall being built at the ageing centre to house Woolworths and Big W, both owned by the Woolworths Group.

Two new entrances being built at the north mall will allow shoppers to park under shade sails on the eastern side but still give quick and easy access to Woolies and Big W.

The new northeastern entrance will take shoppers from a carpark with shade sails into the Hyperdome northern mall to Big W and Woolworths.

Woolworths will move to the northern wing from its central location overlooking the Hyperdome’s currently desolate food court.

It will be one of only two smart Woolies in Australia and will have security robots in aisles and computerised self-serve check-outs.

The Hyperdome’s empty food court looking towards Woolworths which is set to move to new premises at the northern end of the centre.

It is still unknown whether it will also have the smart phone technology which will allow customers to scan groceries with their smart phones as they shop and then leave the store without going through a checkout.

Regular Hyperdome shopper Brooke McClean from Shailer Park said she often referred to the northern end as The Far End near the travelator.

“I’ve been coming here for 10 years and that northern end has always been dark with no major stores,” Ms McClean said.

“I shop at Aldis but I will probably end up shopping at Woolworths as that will be the entrance where I will park once those shops open.”

New shade sails have been built over car parks outside the northeastern wing at the Hyperdome.

The redesign is one of the few updates at the centre since the southern mall was overhauled in 2015 to build the highly-successful Market Room area outside Coles and Aldi.

This week a massive arched window was built at the northern end of the centre allowing light in through a new Hyperdome Dome” which will overlook a new garden and a playground.

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One of the domed entrances into the Hyperdome. Two more are being built at the northern end of the centre.

The massive two-storey window will not be an entry point at the Woolworths level with centre management hoping an education campaign will convince shoppers to park in the underground carpark and enter the centre via an existing travelator.

Hyperdome Centre manager Brian Turner with Small Business Minister Shannon Fentiman at the southern end of the centre near Coles and Kmart.

More car parks will be built outside the entrance on the northwest side of the centre, next to the former Bi-Lo site which will allow shoppers to wheel trolleys from the store to their cars.

Hyperdome centre manager Brian Turner said the COVID-19 pandemic had not slowed the overhaul, which will be opened before Christmas.

“We have had to rapidly readjust to a new reality since works started on this redevelopment, and as a result, our long-held commitment to evolving Hyperdome into a town centre destination our community can be proud of has become even more significant,” he said.

“We are excited to deliver something special for our community to enjoy when the world returns to normal.”