Countdown Aviemore Drive is to close next month.
The move was announced to the Times by Countdown.
“We recently let our team know that we have made the decision to close our Aviemore Drive store in June, and consolidate our offer for local customers into our Highland Park store,” a Countdown spokesperson said.
“Countdown Highland Park operates next door to our Aviemore Drive store, and we’re looking forward to continuing to serve our local customers there.
“We’re also working hard to see how we can refresh and improve our Highland Park store to better serve our customers for years to come.”
Countdown said there are 39 team members at the Aviemore Drive store and that they will all be redeployed.
“Looking after our Aviemore Drive team and supporting them to continue their careers with our business is our priority and we’ll be working with them closely to do this – including moving into roles at Countdown Highland Park and other nearby locations.”
In February 2018, Foodstuffs North Island heralded the purchase of Highland Park Shopping Centre and its intention to bring a new shopping option to that area. Foodstuffs is a 100 per cent New Zealand-owned and operated grocery chain and the larger grocery retailer.
Countdown supermarket comes under the wing of Woolworths New Zealand, a subsidiary which is ultimately owned by Australia’s Woolworths Group.
In March 2019 Foodstuffs said it had lodged resource consent with Auckland Council for Pak’nSave Highland Park.
At the time Foodstuffs said, “We’ve submitted plans to council for a fantastic shopping precinct which will include a state-of-the-art supermarket and room for other businesses and food service outlets. It’s important to us we provide a superior place to shop, be entertained and to work. That’s what we’re going to deliver.”
The site of the old mall has become a boarded-off development zone. There is still no date for start or completion of the new Pak’nSave.
Foodstuffs spokesperson Emma Wooster, told the Times this week, “We’re looking forward to bringing a brand new Pak’nSave to Highland Park and the growing community of Pakuranga.
“Building a brand-new store can be a lengthy process and we’re currently working through the building consent process with Council.
“A timeline for the build is yet to be determined but we’re looking forward to getting under way as soon as possible.”
The new store is expected to create up to 300 new roles.
Demolition of the iconic tower and surrounding structures happened last year.
