Sign on Broadway.
Photo: RNZ/Luka Forman
It’s a tough time for business in one of Auckland’s top shopping districts, with many empty shopfronts lining once-bustling streets.
Newmarket businesses said high rent, a tight economy and changing shopping habits had all contributed to a difficult environment.
Checkpoint counted 24 shops that were empty or for lease on Broadway, the main street in Newmarket.
Businesses said the empty buildings weren’t a good look for attracting customers, and the area sometimes felt like a ghost-town.
The Rialto cinema complex sits on Broadway. It was once a busy mall with shops and a food court.
The cinema is still open, but the food court is no more and several shops on the ground floor have either shut down or relocated.
On Teed Street, in a precinct behind the Rialto complex is high-end clothing store Twenty-Seven Names.
Sales assistant Frances Melville said many businesses were struggling.
“I think it’s sad because it’s very empty, it’s like a ghost town with some of the shops opening and then closing pretty soon after. We’ve lost some really nice neighbours who used to be around here.”
With the tight economy, customers’ spending habits had changed, Melville said.
“Definitely not as many people walking around and coming into shops anymore.
“A lot of people, if they are going to buy something, they’ve come in knowing what they’re going to buy already. A lot less people spending money.”
Owner Grant Elliott at his Streetwear store on Broadway.
Photo: RNZ/Luka Forman
Grant Elliott owned the Drop Out streetwear store on Broadway.
Landlords had to take some responsibility for all the empty shops, he said.
“The rent is pretty horrendous around here… I think a lot of the buildings are reaching an age where they need a bit of maintenance that landlords aren’t willing to fork out the cash for and instead will want to put that on to the business.”
Things were tough at the moment Elliott said, but the empty shops were making the area look worse than it really was.
“Say in our case, where you look across the road and there’s seven in a row that are empty. It definitely makes the area seem a lot worse than what it is. But there are still a lot of shops with stores in them, and some of those shops may be doing well some of them may not be doing well.”
For lease sign on the corner of Broadway and Remuera road.
Photo: RNZ/Luka Forman
Shoppers on the streets in Newmarket agreed the area wasn’t as bustling as it could be.
“It’s definitely making the vibe feel a little bit lost and quiet,” one shopper said.
“There must be 20 empty shops just down Broadway here alone. It’s ridiculous, what’s happening?” another said.
“I think there’s not very many people shopping here… I’d say it’s the internet, people are buying off the internet.”
Back at Drop Out store, Grant Elliott was optimistic about the future despite the area’s challenges, and hoped council, landlords and businesses could work together to make Newmarket a thriving shopping district again.
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