General News
22 August, 2023
Sneak preview of $6m new Woolies
THE swanky new $6 million Woolworths supermarket at Raintrees shopping centre opens at 8am tomorrow and Cairns Local News was given a sneak preview.
The building, which includes the main online delivery hub for the Cairns region, has provided 40 new jobs as well as adding 86 team members from the old store, plus 50 from other stores in the region, to total 186 people.
New store manager Troy Papps said it was a satisfying moment.
“I’m proud. I’m proud of my team closing one store and opening a new one,” he said.
The new store brings a whole new look and feel, with convenient shopping options and an extensive range of products on offer for local customers.
Every department in the new store features a significant upgrade to its predecessor. There’s a larger produce section with a range of fresh fruit and vegetables, including locally sourced items from the Atherton Tablelands and bananas from Tully.
Customers have access to a full production bakery, a one-stop shop for gourmet loaves, stone-baked bread, pastries and desserts. A selection of 100 per cent Australian meat has been stocked in the new store, with Baiada BBQ chickens from Mareeba. There’s also a great variety of local seafood available from the seafood counter and milk and yoghurts from Mungalli Creek, Stockman’s eggs and Sweet Buzz Honey.
The supermarket is almost 1000sqm larger than the old store (2763 sqm) at 3800 sqm.
There is a new ‘direct to boot’ service and the store will act as a home delivery hub for the region.
For Woolworths Raintrees longest serving staff member Robyn Henningsen it’s a special moment.
The ‘check-out chick’ will officially cut the ribbon at 8am tomorrow, marking 49 years since she first started at the supermarket.
“I love it, I really do enjoy my job,” she said.
“The store team is like family. It has got better over the years too and the older you get you become more accepting.
“I know all my customers by name. I’ve had a few health issues lately and customers have asked for my phone number at the counter, inquiring about my health and inviting me home for coffee. It blew me away.”
Mrs Henningsen said she was now serving the children of customers’ children.
Opening the new store is extra special for Mr Papps. He’s worked with Woolworths for 27 years, travelling from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Ayr to Cairns.
“I’ve come back to Raintrees to open my first new store as a manager. I was here 10 years ago and we were expecting a new store back then.
“My team and I are ready to offer local residents a new shopping experience.
“It’s really all about the new technology on offer as we say goodbye to the old store, and we’re focussed on building out our team to support the largest online hub for Woolworths in north Queensland, servicing a wider area of the community than ever before with home delivered groceries.
The supermarket also offers customers the most extensive range of international foods at Woolworths across Cairns.
A number of community initiatives will be up and running to support local community groups, including weekly donations of surplus baked goods, grocery foods, fruit and vegetables to OzHarvest. Opening hours for Woolworths Raintrees are 8am - 9pm Monday - Friday, 8am - 6pm on Saturday and 9am - 6pm on Sunday.
