Bunnings, JB Hi Fi, Lexus record sales growth along Nunawading’s Golden Mile

Business at a luxury car dealership in Blackburn is booming, with customers favouring one particular model.

Chris and Heath from Dixons record store Blackburn say sales have been strong post-COVID lockdown, with huge interest in vinyl records.

Sales at a luxury car dealership in Blackburn are soaring, despite the impacts of COVID-19.

Lexus Blackburn new vehicle sales manager Joseph DeNeefe said sales had been fantastic.

“Lexus nationally had its best ever fourth quarter last year,” he said.

“Moving into 2021, we couldn’t have asked for a better start with January sales also being a national record.

“We are noticing our SUV models (NX and RX) being the most popular choice, due to their size and practicality and with more families deciding to do a lot more local travel, they tend to be their perfect pick.”

Mr DeNeefe said customers’ buying habits had changed post COVID.

“Consumers are making decisions a lot faster than pre-COVID,” he said.

“I think for our industry, a lot of research and browsing by buyers tends to be online, through word-of-mouth and once they visit the dealership it’s like they have already made their choice – it’s just a matter of us getting know them, identifying their needs and helping them get into the correct car that will suit them.

“The back and forth of visiting a dealership is no longer a ‘thing’.

“Consumers want a stress-free, enjoyable experience throughout their whole ownership of a car, from time of sale to yearly maintenance visits.”

Lexus is one of several businesses along Nunawading’s famous Golden Mile reporting a boost in sales, as customer spending habits change due to COVID.

The popular Whitehorse Rd strip is home to a host of large ‘big box’ retail stores, including Bunnings, Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi, which have reported a strong surge in sales.

Large Format Retail Association chief executive Philippa Kelly said several elements of the large retail sector made it attractive to shoppers during the pandemic, including big carparks, very few internal malls, and large spaces to shop, enabling easier social distancing.

“It’s much easier to park near the front door, get what you want, and leave,” she said.

Ms Kelly said the performance of the large format retail sector during the pandemic, including Nunawading’s Golden Mile, had been buoyed by a number of key factors.

“(These included) Reactionary purchases, because of various government restrictions, such as working from home and the closure of gyms,” she said.

“Also the take-up of DIY projects; so people had time on their hands and were trying to keep themselves occupied.”

Ms Kelly said not being able to travel had also led to people spending more on retail.

“Bunnings, Officeworks, Beacon Lighting, Adairs, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys … they have all reported a phenomenal increase in sales,” she said.

Bunnings Nunawading complex manager Scott Jasch said with customers spending more time at home this summer, backyard DIY was particularly popular.

“Lots of customers are looking to create an outdoor living space to enjoy and to entertain in,” he said.

And it’s not just cars and homewares buyers are interested in, with vinyl record sales also soaring at Blackburn’s Dixons Recycled Records.

Manager Douglas Walsh said the store was selling “a lot of everything” at the moment, including vinyls, CDs, and DVDS.

After closing for three and half months during Melbourne’s lockdown, the business has been busy since reopening.

“I think a lot of people had clean outs when they didn’t have a lot to do during lockdown so we’ve got a lot of stuff coming in which has taken a bit of wading through,” he said.

“We’ve had a lot of love from people which we’ve appreciated.”

And a new business is being offered the chance to join the Golden Mile, with a showroom at 143A Whitehorse Rd to be auctioned on March 5.