Retail Strategy
Retail Sector
Wangaratta is an important regional city in north east Victoria. It services an extensive region, providing retail goods and a wide range of retail, commercial, community and professional services. The resident population of the regional catchment area is approximately 58,000 people.
The retail environment of Wangaratta has changed significantly with the opening of Big W, Super Cheap Auto, The Warehouse, The Reject Shop, REPCO store, Rivers, Jay Jays, Dick Smith Electronics and many other retail businesses.
Since the opening of Big W in Ford Street there has been a noticeable increase in the level of retail interest in Wangaratta. This interest has been from large national retailers to franchises to local retail businesses looking to expand to capitalise on the reduction in retail leakage and increased interest in Wangaratta driven by the Big W project. The challenge remains to identify appropriate locations given Wangaratta's very low retail shop vacancy rate (possibly as low as 2%).
Given the pressure on floor space in the CBD and current retail trends, Wangaratta is likely to see a growth in peripheral retail sales activity in the coming years. Peripheral retail sales activity encompasses bulky goods such as furniture and white goods. It also includes builders, hardware, kitchenware, homewares and may encompass lighting, electrical equipment, sporting and camping goods. Over the past two decades there has been a significant growth in the demand for peripheral sales, stores and floorspace.
For further information please contact Council's Economic Development unit on (03) 5722 0775 or wangarattaunlimited@wangaratta.vic.gov.au
