Old Ashburton firm expands to Chch

Press, 20 November 1981, Page 5

Old Ashburton firm expands to Chch

Collins-Burns. Ltd. will celebrate the opening of its Christchurch retail and wholesale shop tomorrow. The opening of this shop comes 93 years after Mr W. H. Collins, an immigrant from Cornwall, England, set up the firm of.W. H. Collins and Co.. Ltd, in Ashburton. W. H. Collins, Ltd, acquired the premises of John Burns, Ltd, Christchurch earlier this month and will trade under the name of Collins-Burns, Ltd, Mitre 10 in Christchurch.

The building has been renovated and refurbished to provide the very latest facilities and convenience for retail and trade customers. It will stock an extensive range of all home handyman, hardware, kitchenware and leisure products, as well as home'appliances, china and fancy goods and builders’ hardware. Over the years W. H. Collins, Ltd, has maintained confidence in the growth poten-

tial of Canterbury. In 1900, just a few years after its inception, W. H. Collins, Ltd,; completed a major construction programme which included the erection of new retail premises in' East Street, which they still oc- ' cupy; and. a pew steam sawmill and joinery workshop in West Street. . More recently, they have completed an undercover drive-through builders’ supply store in Ashburton. Their, reputation for qual-

ity merchandise in hardware, timber, joiner}' and builders' supplies, backed with specialist product knowledge by a fully trained staff has spread beyond Ashburton with the opening of branches at Timaru and Rakaia. Perhaps the largest practical demonstration of their confidence in the future growth of Canterbury is the acquisition of their new 1860 sq m premises. “We are confident that Collins Burns Mitre 10 will

be ever}' bit as successful as our other shops,” the general manager, Mr R. A. Gibson, said.

“Our staff is thoroughly experienced and dedicated to making this venture entirely successful.” ,