More jobs as Coles moves into Chullora Marketplace after Big W closes
Coles will be competing with Woolworths and Aldi when they replace Big W at this popular centre, bringing more than a hundred jobs for residents.
The Express
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The impending closure of department giant Big W at Chullora Marketplace has allowed Coles to move into the shopping centre and vie directly with their biggest competitors, Woolworths and Aldi.
More than a hundred people will be employed at the store, although Coles has not yet confirmed the date the supermarket giant will be opening.
Big W will be closing on Friday, January 31, with most of its 100 staff being redeployed with the Woolworths group.
Germany’s large international chain, Aldi, are also prominent at Chullora, giving customers three well-known supermarkets to choose from.
Incidentally, Aldi opened its first Australian store in Canterbury in 2001.
Coles’ plans were approved by the local council on December 18 after the supermarket chain lodged its application on October 21.
“Our new state-of-the-art Coles supermarket at Chullora Marketplace will create more than 100 new local retail and construction jobs,” a Coles spokesman said.
“The proposed development is scheduled to open later this year and represents a multimillion-dollar investment in southwest Sydney, following the refurbishment of Coles Roselands last month.
“(We will) offer more choice, great value and an enhanced shopping experience for residents in Chullora.”
A Big W spokeswoman said the decision to close its store was to “build a strong, profitable and more sustainable store and distribution centre network that reflect our customers’ needs and the rapidly changing retail environment”.
“As with all store closures, we prioritise redeploying team members who choose to continue their career with BIG W, or with other Woolworths Group brands where possible,” she said.
“We are pleased to confirm that the majority of our 100 team members in our Chullora store have been redeployed within the Woolworths Group.”
The Coles move comes as Henroth, the owners of Chullora Marketplace, plans to renovate the shopping centre, adding a new retail space, offices and more than 350 residential units across six floors.
The development plan has been unanimously passed by the council to go to the next planning phase — gateway determination.
Henroth Investments wants to raise the current maximum height of 11m (three storeys) to 14-20 metres (four to six storeys), paving the way for a mixed-use complex.
The owners plan to retain much of it and mostly build on the car park area at the front and possibly in the southeast corner.