Bayfair Shopping Centre

Bayfair Shopping Centre, generally known as Bayfair, is a major retail destination in Tauranga, in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty region. It is located in the suburb of Arataki at the intersection of Maunganui Road, which forms part of State Highway 2, and Girven Road. The centre is close to Mount Maunganui's established residential and visitor areas, and sits opposite Omanu Golf Course and near Baywave, a large aquatic and recreation complex. Its position on an important road corridor gives it a broad catchment that includes local residents, commuters and visitors to the Mount Maunganui area. Bayfair is historically significant in Tauranga retailing because it was the city's first shopping mall. Over time it developed from a local shopping facility into a large regional centre with a broad mix of department-store, supermarket, discount-retail, fashion, specialty, hospitality and entertainment tenants. Its principal anchors are Woolworths, Kmart and Farmers. Farmers is the centre's only major component, apart from the car park, arranged across more than one level. The centre also contains a substantial food court with approximately a dozen food retailers, supported by a wider collection of restaurants and specialty stores. The supermarket presence at Bayfair has included an unusual branding history. Until 2018, the centre housed New Zealand's last remaining supermarket operating under the Australian Woolworths name. The store retained that identity rather than adopting the Countdown name used by most other Foodtown and Woolworths stores in New Zealand, partly because an existing Countdown store was already present at Bayfair. After Woolworths New Zealand undertook a nationwide rebrand in 2023, the store again operated officially under the Woolworths name. A major redevelopment began in December 2017 with an announced investment of NZ$115 million. The project included a new cinema complex with 1,300 seats, a new Woolworths supermarket and additional retail capacity. More than 400 workers were involved in construction. The first stage opened in December 2018 and added 30 stores. The redevelopment was planned for completion in 2019, with the finished centre expected to contain about 150 stores. Six new restaurants opened in May 2019, further expanding Bayfair's food and leisure offer. Bayfair is owned by Fisher Funds Management and managed by Dexus. Its customer proposition is that of a large, accessible regional shopping centre combining everyday essentials with department-store shopping, discount retail, dining and entertainment. Public transport services stop outside the centre on Farm Street, adding to its accessibility. The centre remains an active retail property rather than a standalone consumer-goods brand, and its identity is closely tied to its Tauranga location and role in the wider Bay of Plenty shopping network.

Bayfair Shopping Centre is one of Tauranga's principal shopping centres and is widely identified as the first shopping mall built in the city. It occupies a strategically prominent site in Arataki, at the junction of Maunganui Road and Girven Road. Maunganui Road is part of State Highway 2, while the centre's surrounding roads connect it with residential areas, local amenities and the wider Mount Maunganui corridor. The rear of the property adjoins Farm Road, and Jackson Street and Harris Street run alongside the site. Bayfair is opposite Omanu Golf Course and close to Baywave, making it part of a larger retail, recreational and community destination. The centre expanded over time from its original role as a local mall into a substantial regional shopping destination. Its tenant mix has been built around three major anchors: Woolworths, Kmart and Farmers. These stores provide grocery shopping, department-store merchandise and general retail, while smaller tenants add fashion, specialty goods, services and food. Farmers occupies more than one floor, distinguishing it from most of the rest of the centre's retail accommodation. A large food court, containing around a dozen food retailers, is complemented by standalone restaurants and other hospitality uses. Bayfair also has a notable supermarket-branding history. For many years it was home to the only remaining Woolworths-branded supermarket in New Zealand. The store did not change to Countdown, the name adopted by most other Foodtown and Woolworths supermarkets in the country, because Bayfair already had an existing Countdown store. This made the centre an unusual location in the New Zealand supermarket landscape. In 2023, after a nationwide rebrand by the operator, the supermarket was officially named Woolworths once again. A large-scale redevelopment began in December 2017. The project was reported as a NZ$115 million investment and included a new supermarket, a 1,300-seat cinema and additional retail accommodation. Construction employed more than 400 workers. The first stage opened in December 2018 and delivered 30 new stores. Completion was anticipated in 2019, when the centre was expected to contain about 150 stores. Six new restaurants opened in May 2019, strengthening the centre's dining offer and supporting its repositioning as a combined shopping, food and entertainment destination. The centre is owned by Fisher Funds Management and managed by Dexus. Its accessibility is supported by its road location and by bus stops outside the property on Farm Street. In its current form, Bayfair functions as a regional retail and leisure hub rather than simply a conventional enclosed mall. Its offer combines essential grocery shopping, department stores, discount retail, specialty shopping, dining, food-court use and cinema entertainment, serving both the Tauranga population and visitors moving through the Mount Maunganui area.

• 2023

  Supermarket branding changes to Woolworths

  [1]Bayfair Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The Bayfair supermarket is officially identified as Woolworths following the operator's nationwide New Zealand rebrand.

• 2019

  Restaurant expansion

  [1]Bayfair Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Six new restaurants open at Bayfair in May during the broader redevelopment program.

• 2018

  Redevelopment first stage opens

  [1]Bayfair Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The first redevelopment stage opens in December with 30 additional stores.

• 2017

  NZ$115 million redevelopment begins

  [1]Bayfair Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Construction starts on a major redevelopment involving a new supermarket, a 1,300-seat cinema and expanded retail space.

• Bayfair becomes Tauranga's first shopping mall

  [1]Bayfair Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Bayfair is recognized as the first shopping mall built in Tauranga, establishing its long-term role in the city's retail history.

Regional shopping centre combining everyday retail, department stores, discount merchandise, dining and entertainment for Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty.

• Supermarket

  Woolworths

  The centre's principal grocery anchor, offering supermarket food, household products and everyday essentials. Bayfair's store has had an unusual naming history: it retained the Australian Woolworths branding when most comparable New Zealand stores adopted Countdown, partly because a Countdown store already operated at the centre. It was officially named Woolworths again after the operator's nationwide 2023 rebrand.

• Discount department store

  Kmart

  A major discount retailer serving general merchandise needs, including household goods, apparel, seasonal products and other mass-market categories. Its presence supports Bayfair's value-oriented and high-frequency shopping proposition.

• Department store

  Farmers

  Bayfair's department-store anchor, offering a broad assortment of fashion, beauty, homewares and other department-store categories. It is the only part of the centre, apart from the car park, that occupies more than one floor.

• Food and beverage · 2019

  Food court and restaurants

  Bayfair provides a large food court with approximately a dozen food retailers, alongside standalone restaurants. Six additional restaurants opened in May 2019 during the redevelopment period, broadening the centre's dining and social-use offer.

• Entertainment

  Cinema complex

  A cinema facility with approximately 1,300 seats was included in the major redevelopment that began in 2017. It forms part of Bayfair's leisure offer alongside retail, food-court and restaurant uses.

• 2023

  Rebrand supermarket as WoolworthsStrategy

  Background

  The supermarket operator undertook a nationwide New Zealand branding change.

  Action taken

  Bayfair's supermarket was officially renamed Woolworths.

  Aftermath

  The change restored the Woolworths name at a location that had historically retained that branding while other New Zealand stores used Countdown.

  Source

• 2017

  Approve major centre redevelopmentGeneration change

  Background

  Bayfair sought to expand and modernize its regional retail and leisure offer.

  Action taken

  A reported NZ$115 million redevelopment began, including a new Woolworths supermarket, a 1,300-seat cinema and additional retail accommodation.

  Aftermath

  The first stage opened in December 2018 with 30 new stores, while completion was expected in 2019 at approximately 150 stores.

  Redevelopment investment. NZ$115 million announced project (2017)

  Source

1. 1Bayfair Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bayfair Shopping Centre official websitebayfair.co.nz