The Warehouse Auckland CBD store is relocating.

Colliers International, which brokered the lease deal, says the discount department store will move from Auckland’s Downtown shopping centre to a new store at Atrium on Elliott which opens today.

Leroy Wolland, Colliers International’s director of retail, described the search for a new location as “exhaustive” given the retailer’s need for nearly 2000 sqm of space in a CBD location.

The Downtown shopping centre closes in May prior to a major redevelopment of the surrounding site.  

The new The Warehouse store takes up 1800 sqm at the Atrium on Elliott shopping centre, a 14,000 sqm, four level enclosed shopping centre and international food court located at the base of the Crowne Plaza Hotel and BDO Tower.

Wolland says The Atrium on Elliott’s existing tenants and the building’s owners are excited at having New Zealand’s largest retailer under their roof.

“Having The Warehouse in the Atrium on Elliott will bring significant advantages and benefits to the surrounding tenants and businesses.”

Alison Laity, director of Colwall Property Limited that owns the Atrium on Elliott, describes the opening as a key development for the asset.

“Having The Warehouse opening alongside existing large format retailers Rebel Sport and No1 Shoe Warehouse has greatly boosted our leasing enquiry. We just wish we had more space to lease.

“Currently we have limited opportunities available within the centre, and we expect these to be snapped up quickly – especially with the impending closure of Downtown shopping centre.”

The Warehouse is New Zealand’s largest non-food retailer, known for its wide range of products from clothing and entertainment to gardening, and now boasts 92 stores throughout New Zealand.

The Warehouse Group includes The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Noel Leeming and Torpedo7 Group. The group had a turnover of $2.6 billion last year and employs more than 12,000 people.