The Dunedin resident runs bus trips to far-flung Kmart stores at least once a year, and was surprised by the Australian retailer’s announcement yesterday it would be returning to the city.
"It’s wonderful — that will save us having to travel out of town," she said.
Kmart moved out of Meridian Mall early in 2020, citing concerns about required seismic strengthening.
However it is now set to return with a new store in Andersons Bay Rd on the former Smiths City site, owned by Otago Land Group.
The "one-stop shop" had been much missed, Mrs Houliston said.
"I just can’t wait for it to open."
Others took to Facebook to express their enthusiasm.
An Otago Daily Times story breaking the news attracted 3500 comments within 10 hours yesterday, many of which were positive, although some voiced concerns about parking.
One commentator said she would be one of the first in line when the new Kmart opened.
"It’s a favourite. I could live in there."
Another tagged a friend, saying "if this isn't proof God is real, I don’t know what is."
Kmart property group general manager Ben Smith said it was humbling to know customers would travel long distances to find a store.
"Hopefully we’ll be able to save them that trip very soon," he said.
The full-range store would be larger than the previous one and would employ more than 100 people when it opened.
The retailer added the 26th link in its New Zealand chain with the new 3650sqm outlet at the River Crossing development in Ashburton, which opened at 8am yesterday.
A date for the Dunedin store’s opening had not been set, but construction would begin "immediately" once approval was obtained from the Dunedin City Council.
Mr Smith attributed the delay to a search for the right location.
A council spokesman said yesterday it had not received an application for resource consent from Kmart but it had received one for a large-scale retail activity from Otago Land Group Ltd and Home Centre Properties Ltd.
The application was progressing but the council was unable to confirm a timeline for a decision.
That application for land-use consent, lodged on July 27, said consent was sought for the construction of a single-building retail hall of about 4000sqm and a 940sqm storage and associated amenities facility, split over two levels.
It proposed 87 car parks to service the store,four more than the site has at present.
Car park demand was predicted to be 67 vehicles during the weekday peak and 116 vehicles at the weekend peak, the application said.
"Given the minimum car parking requirements have been removed from [council regulations], it is considered that there are no car parking number related non-compliances".
