Finally the Illawarra is set to have its own giant baby needs retailer with the grand opening for Baby Bunting Shellharbour scheduled for May 25.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The news comes as TK Maxx has also announced their opening date for the old Bunnings complex on Range Road - which will also house Rebel Sport, Ronis and Pet Barn.
Baby Bunting general manager Michael Pane said the company had been looking to invest in the region for some time with Warrawong also discussed as an option.
"Retail, particularly bulky goods and large format retail, more and more of it's shifting into Shellharbour and that's a growing and emerging area," Mr Pane told the Mercury.
"There's certainly a demand there. We know there are customers transacting with us that are from that area and that are utilising our online platform.
"Housing is growing at a considerable rate in and around that immediate area, it just made absolute sense."
The store will take up around 1500 square metres with a large range of products, on site parents room, and a professional car-seat installation area. It will also employ around 20 staff.
Baby Bunting was established in Melbourne as a family-owned business in 1979 and is one of Australia's biggest baby goods chain.
It sells everything from prams, car seats, cots, nursery furniture, high chairs, bathing, feeding, home safety, toys and babywear.
Until now, Illawarra and South Coast shoppers have had to travel to Campelltown or Taren Point to find one of the popular stores. While the Illawarra has been lacking major baby retailers after outlets like BabyCo disappeared five years ago.
Meanwhile, the new TK Maxx will be a similar size to their Wollongong and Warrawong counterparts.
The "no frills retailer" will stock a variety of goods from women's, men's and children's fashion, shoes, accessories, luggage, beauty, toys and homewares.
They will open at 9am on Thursday May 16 and will employ around 50 staff.
TK Maxx operates over 600 stores across seven countries - the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, including 46 stores in Australia.
Read More: Booch, new kombucha bar opens in Mangerton