Bulking up: Patrick Noone with some of the products for the new Ringwood store. Picture: Wayne Hawkins.
NEWS of international retailer Costco's imminent arrival in Ringwood has been met with mixed reviews from the public.
As officially announced last Wednesday, the supermarket chain will open its second Victorian store in July next year, at the old Ringwood Market site at the corner of Bond and Market streets. Work is expected to begin in coming months.
The new supermarket is expected to bring 150 jobs in construction, then more than 400 new jobs on completion. Costco - a members-only chain that specialises in discount bulk sales - already has a supermarket at Docklands and it had been suspected for some time Ringwood would be its next location.
While some residents believe the news is a good result for Ringwood, others aren't too enthusiastic.
"I don't know if I would shop there. I would have to see what it is like, but it's good for the area," Reno Laban of Croydon said.
Mooroolbark's Joan McVigh said she didn't think it would help smaller retailers but welcomed the competition for Coles and Woolworths.
John, a Ringwood resident who did not want his surname published, was concerned the site was not going to be big enough and about the $60 membership fee Costco charges shoppers. "How many people can afford to do that? Maybe for big families but not for me. It could be very good for Ringwood but I reckon there is enough retail here without that."
Costco managing director Patrick Noone was joined by Premier Ted Baillieu, Maroondah mayor Rob Steane and Maroondah chief executive Frank Dixon to make the announcement.
The site is owned by Queensland Investment Corporation and is part of the Ringwood central activities area, identified as an area of growth by the state government.
At the announcement, Mr Noone said Costco was looking forward to meeting the needs of businesses and households in the area.
Cr Steane said the Ringwood store would be bigger than the Docklands store and would cover 14,500 square metres and have 982 parking spaces.
Costco is the seventh-largest retailer in the world with 66.5million membership cardholders worldwide.