Whitcoulls store ready for long week-end haul

Press, 30 May 1985, Page 20

Whitcoulls store ready for long week-end haul

Whitcoulls have asked the Wizard to measure out how many steps it takes from its Cashel Street store to the temporary premises in the old Calder Mackay building, between Gloucester Street and Worcester Street, as part of a competition. The move to the temporary premises will also require hard work in order to set up the shop in time for trading on Tuesday. The Cashel Street store will be closed for five months for renovations. The Cashel Street branch manager, Mr lan Whitta, said the firm had called on shop employees who

had not already booked holidays on Queen’s Birthday week-end to help with the move. With some staff from suburban shops and some outside assistance, a total of 80 people would be involved in moving stock from the ground floor to the new shop in Worcester Street, he said. More than 40,000 lines of stock — many with a large number of individual items — will be moved from the old store. The operation, which involves three trucks and four vans, would start on Saturday morning, he said. “We plan to start at 8 a.m. on Saturday and have the first department, business machines, away by 8.15 a.m.” Although it would be easy to move the business machine section because of the bulk items, other sections such as greeting cards would be more difficult. A greeting card company would be helping staff to pack stock in this section, he said. All the packing was being done with small cartons, which accounted for the large number of people needed for the move. Initially, the Cashel Street staff were asked to set aside the whole of the Queen’s Birthday week-end to help in the move. This now is

expected to be completed more quickly. The stock would be set up in the temporary premises as it was moved. The removal of stock from Cashel Street was expected to be finished on Saturday, the plan being to work until 4 p.m. The situation would be reviewed on Sunday to see if any work was required on Monday, Mr Whitta said. Staff started moving back-up stock from Cashel Street to Worcester Street on May 18 and all inwards goods had been going to the temporary shop since May 20. The renovations to the Cashel Street store will cost $1.5 million. Mr Whitta said it was planned to reopen the renovated store on October 29, the day after Labour Day. The renovations include bringing the Cashel Street store up to earthquake standards, installing new heating and ventilation systems, adding 180 sq m of retail sapce, and reglazing and restoring the old Victorian roof. To help people with inquiries while the Cashel Street store is closed, an information booth has been set up in the Cashel Street mall shopfront at Whitcoulls, and it will have a direct telephone line to the temporary Worcester Street premises.