Interest is building in the redevelopment of the former Myer building, with Orange City Council now dealing with planning approvals for the first 15 of the tenants of the new shopping mall.
Orange City Council is the planning authority which assesses development applications from the first tenants in the building, covering factors such as food shop-fittings, food management, fire safety, trade waste and street front signage.
The list of businesses to open in the new shopping centre includes only five which have moved from a previous location in Orange, while 10 of the business are new brands which haven't operated in Orange before.
Orange City Council's Employment and Economic Development Committee chair Cr Tony Mileto said he was delighted to see how many new businesses are ready to call Orange home for the first time.
"The council's own research shows that Orange is in a good position when it comes to attracting shoppers from across the region," Cr Tony Mileto said.
"I understand that the community of Orange was sad when a long-running department store closed down, but the stories you hear about people going to neighbouring towns to shop are only one part of the story.
"According to our latest Spendmapp* data, it's true that during the last financial year Orange residents spent $20.6 million dollars shopping in Bathurst. But then in the same period it turns out that residents of Bathurst came here and spent $29.08 million in Orange.
"It's understandable that people who enjoy shopping sometimes want to have a change of scenery and drive somewhere else to shop. But if you compare the shopping habits of Orange and Bathurst residents, Bathurst residents are spending 41% more shopping in Orange.
"It's a similar picture when it comes to Orange residents enjoying a day-out shopping in Dubbo. Last financial year, Orange residents spent $8.4 million shopping in Dubbo, while Dubbo residents spent $11.8 million shopping in Orange.
"That's 29% more. And these figures are during a period when one of our key shopping centres was out of action.
"This list of new shops ready to open in Orange shines the light on the reality that business managers and investors have done their own research and they believe Orange is a great place to do business.
"Orange has a healthy retail sector that employs hundreds of people, and this list of new businesses
shows it's about to get even healthier.
The list of the first 15 shops that have lodged development applications to be based in the new
shopping centre includes :
- Leaf Café - mall cafe
- Sportscraft – women's wear
- Noiva Massage and Beauty
- Sportsgirl – women's wear
- Laser Clinics Australia
- Lone Star – rib house
- Majestic car wash
- Best & Less – family clothing
- Bay Audio – hearing aid technology
- Dusk - candle retailer
- Rockwear - women's Sports clothing
- Noni B - women's wear
- Quick Fix Mobile - mobile Phone repairs
- Tarocash - men's clothing
- Sushia - sushi cafe
*Source : Data Republic. Data compiled and independently collated by Spendmapp. Spendmapp uses bank data to measure event impact, track economic growth and sector spending. Orange City Council routinely releases local economic data and insights about the Orange market to the local community.
