Coles opens in Kwinana to fanfare

More than 100 people turned out for the Coles supermarket grand opening at the Kwinana Marketplace last week.

Coles State general manager Mark O’Connor, store manager David Drew, marketplace centre manager Cameron Roebuck, Kwinana mayor Carol Adams, Shopping Centre Australasia chief executive Anthony Mellowes and Kwinana MLA Roger Cook were present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The opening day included a performance by Calista Primary School, children’s activities, and a seniors morning tea.

Coles will also hold free family fun days during the next two weekends featuring a range of activities and entertainment for the whole family.

The fun will include live music, roving entertainers, magicians, balloon twisting and face painting.

Kwinana store manager David Drew said the team was excited to open the new store and welcome residents to the family fun days.

“We encourage everyone to come along and join in the celebrations as we welcome this new and exciting supermarket to Kwinana,” he said.

“We know locals value fresh produce, so we hope our market-style supermarket, complete with an open-style butchery, extensive fresh produce section, and in-store bakery will appeal to our customers and become a one-stop shop for locals.

“I think the best part is that we’ve been able to employ 50 local people,” Coles State general manager Mark O’Connor said.

Coles had also employed 12 new indigenous team members across its stores in Kwinana, Byford, Gosnells, Gateway, and Beeliar, he said.

The job placings follow a pre-employment retail training program which has seen six of the recruits employed in positions at the new store.