Lina Sharma, left, Andrew Guy Store manager, Matt Wilson at the opening last week. 69927 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By Charlene Gatt
SHOPPERS came in droves last Thursday to check out the newest player on the hardware market, Masters.
And they left impressed.
The store features more than 35,000 products including all the usual hardware, renovation and DIY stock, but also a range of whitegoods, including washing machines, dryers and televisions.
It also has its very own McDonald’s and is complemented by a new adjoining Boat, Camping and Fishing (BCF) store.
The car park was choc-a-block for most of the day, with people deployed to help shoppers find a free space.
Hillside resident Joe Gauci went to the store to purchase some plants and other gardening items and was impressed by the range of stock.
“It’s beautiful,” he said.
“There’s more variety (than Bunnings) and it’s easier to find stuff. There’s more here too, so you only have to go to one place.”
Caroline Springs resident Maria Cartas agreed.
“I like it a lot, it’s so different from the usual hardware stores, there’s a lot of whitegoods,” she said.
“I found products I never even knew existed.”
Both Mr Gauci and Ms Cartas said prices were competitive.
The store is part of a five-year plan between grocery giant Woolworths and US-based partner Lowes to barge in on Bunnings’ territory to open 150 home improvement stores across Australia.
“Our expert team has put an incredible amount of thought and passion into every aspect of the store to deliver a better overall experience for our customers,” Masters CEO Don Stallings said.
“We’ve literally left no stone unturned to deliver quality, range, value and service on a scale that will really surprise.”
A number of additional stores across Victoria and Queensland are expected to open before Christmas.
The Braybrook store was the first to open because it was the first site to be completed.
Masters’ maiden store is less than two kilometers away from a Bunnings store on the corner of Ballarat and McIntyre roads.
