Footwear brand Havaianas has opened its first permanent bricks-and-mortar store in New Zealand in the Britomart shopping centre in Auckland.

The store marks a turning point for the iconic brand, which has had seasonal pop-ups and kiosks in Britomart for the past five years, but never a permanent residence in the country.

A spokesperson for the brand said that Havaianas decided to open a bricks-and-mortar store to meet the strong consumer demand for its products and showcase its full range of styles, which most of its wholesale clients don’t have space for.

 The brand selected Britomart as the location due to its history of having pop-ups there and its popularity as a “walk-through spot”.

“People on their way to catch the bus, train station, fairy terminal for tourists, popular restaurants. We tend to be an impulse purchase so it’s a great area where people can pop in and shop,” the spokesperson said.

“Our neighbours are Nike, Adidas, Tiffany, Ted Baker, Karen Walker, Lulu Lemon, Zambesi to name a few so we are in good company to attract shoppers.”

The store gives Havaianas an opportunity to tell its story and strengthen its brand identity in the market, as well as receive direct feedback from customers on new innovations.

Havaianas is launching a new range of sunglasses and slides this summer, which will be exclusive to its store and website.