Two stores combine in new location with a new name

Press, 16 August 1988, Page 27

Two stores combine in new location with a new name

Kitchen Applicance Specialists is a new name, a new location and a new concept for Microwave Specialists. Microwave Specialists had two locations in Christchurch, in High

Street and at the corner of Colombo Street and Bealey Avenue. These two shops have now been combined under the one roof at 320 Manchester Street opposite St Mary’s Roman Catholic

Church. In 1983 Jon Mells and Deb Crosby founded Microwave Specialists. A year later they bought out their opposition, Microwave Consultants and opened their second store ■ in Bealey Avenue. In the five short jears since 1983 Microwave Specialists grew from being one small shop to being the biggest microwave retailer in Christchurch and the second biggest in New Zealand. It was a serviceoriented company with a high emphasis placed on back-up service. Its ideas were innovative and the customers were happy. Amongst the ideas it introduced were: © telephone advisory service. © the loan of a microwave if another is being repaired.

•® an exchange option. © microwave cooking school. The microwave cooking school was one of the successes of Microwave Specialists and not only has it been continued in the new complex but the scope broadened considerably to take in many different aspects of cooking. “We also went to great lengths to make sure that the consultants in the shop were experts. They knew what they were talking about and they were there to help. There is nothing so off-putting as a pushy salesperson, especially one who does not really know fully what they are talking about. “It is their job to interpret the needs of the customer and not force on to clients appliances and models the customers are

not interested in,” Jon Mells said.