By Malcolm King

Many of the new retailers at the new Kiama Village are quietly seething because the builders missed the Christmas and Easter deadlines.

They fear retribution from Woolworths and Growthbuilt if they speak to the media as the $17 million rebuild failed to open on Wednesday 27 March as planned.

A spokesperson for Growthbuilt said the issue was with the fit out contractors hired by the retailers.

“(We’ve had) no push back from the retailers. I believe there are only two (stores) that are ready to open today,” said Amy Williams, Growthbuilt’s Head of Strategic Growth and Partnerships.

“They have been working directly with their own smaller contractors to complete their fit outs.” 

One retailer who did not wish to be named, said the business had lost $1000s of dollars due to not opening in the last six months.

As of Wednesday 27 March, the following new Kiama Village stores will not open for Easter: Bakers Delight, Bay Audio, Nextra, Barber Industries, Petstock, The Spot Café and Meet & Greet Asian BBQ.

The chemist and the new doctor’s consulting rooms are open.

Kiama Doctors handing out cupcakes for their opening

Media advertisements have been pulled because the site was not ready.

It is understood rent on some of the stores is around $90,000 per year.

A source on the site for Growthbuilt, said the retail stores should have been completed before the two-deck carpark.

The major renovation and rebuild was scheduled be open for Christmas last year but Growthbuilt failed to make the deadline.

The reopening of the Woolworths store in Kiama on 16 August last year was delayed when a 20-year-old contractor fell from the ceiling.

The new Snap Fitness Gym is still under construction and plans to open in June.

Construction on the Kiama Village started in January 2023.