Furniture and homewares retailer Freedom Furniture is re-opening its newly revamped 23-year-old anchor store in Auckland’s home styling precinct on Broadway, Newmarket, this month.

The $1 million-plus investment has added 600sqm in floor space and incorporated a new home layout, open-plan kitchen and design studio with a focus on the brand’s wide range of furniture customisation options. The format will be rolled out across Australasia.

“We’re earmarking Newmarket as a boom area. Come 2020, it will be New Zealand’s shopping mecca,” said Debbie Ridling, managing director, Freedom Furniture NZ.

Owned by Greenlit Brands, the investment in the Newmarket store underpins Freedom’s commitment to bricks-and-mortar retail, alongside growth in e-commerce, Freedom Furniture said.

“While digital continues to grow exponentially, furniture and homewares is still a very tactile shopping experience for our customers,” Ridling said. “We know that people are looking for an experience, not just a product.”

According to Ridling, furniture and homewares is something people will always want to touch and try.

“So we’re getting a jump on these predictions with a destination store that promises to delight,” she said.

A recent report from Retail NZ predicts that larger stores over the next decade will focus on helping customers experience the theatre of retail. According to the report, New Zealand’s retail industry is now worth $92.3 billion a year and is outperforming the Australian market.

The renovated store uses a combination of international trends and sports a modern monochromatic feel with big windows and lots of natural light.

Freedom’s revamp coincides with the announcement of a $790 million redevelopment of 277 Westfield Newmarket.

“With Westfield at the southern end and Freedom at the top, we’re expecting the strip to be buzzing with foot traffic,” Ridling said.