A NEW ERA
With more stores, more experiences and more reasons to visit, Tauranga Crossing continues to grow with its community.
WORDS JO-MARIE BAKER
Tauranga Crossing is a shopping centre that has always had one eye on the future, and those dreams are now coming to fruition. With around 4,000 homes soon to be built in Tauriko West, and the suburb’s industrial estate continuing to expand, Tauranga Crossing is at the heart of one of our biggest growth areas.
“There is further development to come,” promises centre manager Janet Vincent. “Geographically, we’re right in the middle of the Golden Triangle and overseas retailers see that. With our new Farmers extension, we now have one of the largest retail footprints of any mall in the Bay of Plenty and we have plenty of room to expand. Plans are already underway.”
An additional 8,100m² of space at the north-east end of the mall opened in October, anchored by a two-storied flagship Farmers store alongside an expansive Toyworld, Stirling Sports, Stirling Women and Farmer Autovillage showroom. More retailers, including JB Hi-Fi, will be arriving in 2026.
“The Farmers extension is a huge milestone for us,” Janet says. “It’s a lovely, uplifting anchor to that end of the mall. It’s definitely the next generation of Farmers stores with beautiful details and finishings throughout — everything from the tiling to the lights, the dressing room décor and the shop-floor displays have been thoughtfully done and look incredible.”
Just as much care has gone into sustainable planning and design, with 714 solar panels installed on the walls and roof above a hedge that wraps around the extension’s exterior. It will generate enough clean energy to offset the same amount of carbon as growing 1,800+ trees annually or avoiding nearly 170,000km of car travel (four times around the earth).
ChargeNet has also installed the largest collection of EV charging stations in New Zealand in the carpark — 10 fast charging points, including one campervan and one car and trailer.
Janet says Tauranga Crossing is designed to be a place where people feel welcome. And that’s never more apparent than at Christmas. “We really embrace Christmas. Being a shopping centre, there’s obviously a commercial side to it, but we want to celebrate the community side too and make it a magical space to come and visit and really immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit and excitement.
“Christmas is such an important time for retail but we’re also mindful that this can be a pressured time for people. Which is why we also provide opportunities for our community to help each other and show some Christmas generosity.”
Tauranga Crossing is hosting its second annual Trees for Charity campaign in partnership with Tauranga Community Foodbank. The public help to decorate 30 Christmas trees which will be on display throughout the centre before being donated to a family in need across the region, along with a $500 PAK’nSAVE gift card.
“We’re also collecting Foodbank donations to help bring joy and provide the essentials for everyone to enjoy a happy Christmas,” Janet says. “It’s really lovely to see how much comes in and how much the community want to be involved. It’s very special.”
With over 120 stores now spread over 50,000m² of retail space and more development on the horizon, there’s no doubt Tauranga Crossing is a significant player in our regional economy.
“We’re always listening to what customers want, and what brands they want to see here, and we’re excited for what’s to come. We still have significant development opportunities ahead including a Lifestyle Centre and Stage 4 expansion where we are actively in discussions with household-name tenants.
“But our intent is to create a space where you can experience a thriving community hub where everyone feels welcome.”
