The former Raeward Fresh store near the Champion Rd roundabout in Richmond is being reconfigured by a local developer to create space for three retail or commercial businesses.
Colliers national director for retail, Leroy Wolland, says tenants have not been confirmed yet, but the region attracts good interest due to its growing population.
“I was involved with the leasing of Nelson Junction and there is quite good demand from a range of retailers thinking of getting into Nelson and Richmond.
“New retailers like coming to a market with a growing population and the Nelson-Tasman region ticks those boxes for them. So, there’s some new retailers looking at coming to the region and a few looking at this opportunity.”
He points to the latest census which showed Tasman grew by 10.3 per cent between 2018 and 2023, following a 11.1 per cent lift in the previous five-year period.
The building could be used for a range of different options and he says it is likely to be ready for businesses from early 2026.
Raeward Fresh closed its retail store on Champion Rd in May last year when the wholesale operation was sold to Trents Wholesale, a subsidiary of Foodstuffs South Island, the co-operative also behind Reward Fresh.
