Four Square Has Major N.Z. Role

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30897, 2 November 1965, Page 28

Four Square Has Major N.Z. Role

An organisation which embraces nearly 1600 food stores makes Four Square “the biggest food people in New Zealand. Foodstuffs (Christchurch) Limited thinks its new Riccarton Mall supermarket is the best of them all.

Predominantly devoted to groceries, the Four Square store also gives a full bakery service, retails pre-packed meats and fruit and vegetables, and has an innovation in a scr\ icc delicatessen which is in line with the latest overseas trends.

“We ragard the Riccarton Mall Four Square shop as the epitome of the modem clinically-clean superma rk e t that has brought about a revolution in the retailing of food,” said the firm’s merchandise manager (Mr A. D. Mclvor).

“We have installed the most modern equipment that it is possible to buy, and high-intensity lighting and the use of colour to brighten the surroundings,” Mr Mclvor said. “Customers will have the convenience of a parcels pickup service by being able to drive their cars to a sideentrance delivery. We work in association with similar food retailing organisations in other parts of the world, and customers can be assured that we intend to stay right up with the latest developments.”

Apart from its remarkable growth throughout New Zealand, the Four Square organisation has seen rapid development in the Christ-

supermarkets have been opened at Linwood avenue, Redcliffs and Belfast, and one is planned for the Bishopdale shopping centre. New supermarkets have just opened at Rangiora and Oamaru. Planners Presiding over the immense amount of pre-planning that goes into an enterprise of this nature was the firm’s general manager (Mr R. W. Thomas). In detail work, Mr Mclvor has been assisted by the

church area. Recently, new| firm’s shop engineer (Mr V. Brickie), the merchandise officer (Mr N. Thomas), and the shop manager himself, Mr Lyall Hobson, who was the popular manager of the St. Martins Four Square store. “They’ve really steamed into it over the last week or so,” said Mr Hobson, when

he explained his new store and its services, and the rush to finish.

Four Square occupy 6000 square feet of floor space, with 1800 square feet of mezzanine storage, staff rooms and offices. The storeroom is fed by a conveyor

J belt from the service lane . I loading bay. One of the most interesting , features of the store is the - self-service delicatessen unit, i where anything from a slice f of pressed meat up can be > ordered to suit. A five-tier stand displays packaged dcliI'catessen items, and there is a ■[magnificent deep-freeze unit 1 Bakery

Fruit and vegetables, and the bakery department, with its tempting array of bread', cakes and other small goods will also catch the eye The main food displays are accommodated on three enormous racks, the biggest 64ft long, in the centre of the store, with another. 31ft in length, running alongside the glass of the store's wall with the Mall.

A garden section is handy to the entrance doors from the Mall. Nearby are the four check-out points, where the shopper may get a chit for the goods and pick them up later at the delivery centre at the rear of the shop. Riccarton Mall's Four Square supermarket will have a staff of 16 or 18.