BIG DEPARTMENT STORE SCHEME FOR KOPEOPEO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 89, 23 January 1950, Page 5

BIG DEPARTMENT STORE SCHEME FOR KOPEOPEO

Mr B. Washer, member of , a Whakatane family, but residing just now at Auckland, has been back here for a few days and is seeking to establish a huge department store business at Kopeopeo. This, by the way, is only part of a comprehensive plan to develop an area of vacant land bounded on two of its sides by Stewart Street and King,Street.

Mr Washer is asking the Borough Council for a building permit for the department store as a start, and the proposition will probably be before the Council tonight. The proposed building will have a floor space of 10,000 square feet, with a 200 foot frontage onto Stewart Street. It is intended that it shall provide a full shopping service under one roof, selling practically any kind of goods one could ask" for. In line with mddern town planning ideas, the frontage is to be round the corner from the main traffic stream, and will stand back 32 feet from the roadway to permit ample parking space out front without traffic interference. A separate building will house a women’s rest room and nursery, where there r is to be a competent children’s nurse glways in attendance, so Mother can park Baby while she goes shopping. / That alone is a big enough scheme, but plans for the subsequent developrhent of the area include a modern picture theatre fronting King Street between the new shop and Kope Motors. Mr Washer feels that recent development of Kopeopeo as a housing area more than justifies additional facilities, and expects his scheme to be hailed gladly by residents of that locality as well as by country people for whom he claims the store will be of great assitance.