By Alesha Capone
Wyndham’s traders and shopping centres have encouraged residents to continue supporting local businesses, after a busy Christmas and new year period.
Pacific Werribee centre manager Patricia Gardiner said customers “have been shopping up a storm over the festive and holiday season”.
She encouraged the community to support the retailers at Pacific Werribee, many of whom were impacted by COVID-19 last year.
“We are thrilled that Pacific Werribee and our retail partners are enjoying a strong holiday period after what was a challenging 2020,” she said.
“As we begin the new year, we look forward to welcoming more customers back to Pacific Werribee.”
Aimee Helu, who runs the Jock + Mack cafe in Hoppers Crossing along with her husband Eden, said they experienced “really strong community support” last year.
“So many times I was in tears because of people’s generosity,” she said.
Ms Helu said that during the second lockdown, the cafe made a special effort to bring some joy to customers, hosting Christmas in July and a Spin the Wheel game for children.
“The council has also been very proactive in putting in an outdoor dining area and that has been important to our recovery,”Ms Helu said.
Cedar Woods chief operating officer Patrick Archer said Williams Landing Shopping Centre has been pleased to see customer foot traffic increasing in recent months.
“We’re seeing a return to near normal numbers which is a testament to the community’s commitment to supporting our retailers,” he said.
“We have worked with the wider community to transform part of the shopping centre carpark into a pop-up park and to bring back the Makers Market which will run again Sunday 21 February.”
Stockland retail asset manager Karen Noad, said the company would “strongly encourage the community to come support their local retailers who have been looking forward to this time of year, especially given the challenges for retail in 2020″.
“We’ve experienced strong trade and patronage at Stockland Point Cook over the holiday period, with customers taking advantage of the comprehensive mix of stores and bargains on offer, in addition to the centre’s extended trading hours to allow more time for shoppers to safely shop,” she said.
